


To Take Care

by Dorky_Hedgehog



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Aromantic/Asexual Character, Artists, Asexual Character, Attempted Sexual Assault, Bilingual Character(s), Bisexual Character, Boy Scouts, Camping, Canon Non-Binary Character, Childhood Friends, Cultural Appropriation, Diners, Don't Judge, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Flower Crowns, Happy families, Hayden's parents are wonderful, High School, Homecoming, Homophobia, I'm so sorry, Italian Character(s), M/M, Meet the Family, Musicals, Musicians, Original Character(s), Polyamorous Character, School Dances, Soccer, Teenage Drama, They're all nerds tbh, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, a lot of musical refrences, good parenting, how do I tag??, only a little though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-02-28 10:45:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13269816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dorky_Hedgehog/pseuds/Dorky_Hedgehog
Summary: Everyone loved Mitchel. How could you not? He was perfect! Funny, and kind, and smart. He was the type of person who could make anyone smile, even if they didn't have a reason to. Hayden was the complete opposite. Anxious, and quiet, and sweet. No one even knew his name.Why would Mitchel ever want him?(Rated Mature for strong language, attempted sexual assault, child abuse, as well as some mentions of transphobia and homophobia. If you are sensitive to this content, please be cautious!)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my first work, so I'm a little nervous. If you have any suggestions or comments, I'd love to hear them. Seriously, they fuel my soul.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you want something done right, Reese always said, you've got to do it yourself.

The only thing Aaron wanted to do when he got out of school that Friday was go home. Failing tests and high-fiving students in the halls with a smile as real as the cafeteria's health regulations always had a way of draining him. All he wanted to do was flop onto his couch with a bag of chips and watch T.V. until his brain turned to mush.

 

Fate had a different plan for him, though. One that led him to the tack field.

 

Fall had just begun. The leaves fell from the trees in vibrant shades of red and yellow, and the harsh wind bit into the fabric of his bulky, red sweatshirt as Coach Harrison lead the team through a back-breaking jog around the track. It was only September, and already she had them on a rigorous schedule; running for miles and miles every morning until they dropped, stretching their growing bodies as if they were made of elastic.

 

They were soccer players, not ballerinas.

 

After four years of working with Coach Harrison, Aaron had come to appreciate her iron fist. The exercise helped keep his head clear. The thoughts that plagued his mind rolled off his shoulders with every step against the crowd, every bead of sweat rolling down his chin, almost as if they'd never been there at all.

 

Today was different, though. _Wrong._

 

He couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Looking around, everything seemed normal. Cars were slowly emptying from the parking lot, the photography club was snapping photos of the old willow trees in the courtyard, and the usual group of onlookers sat on the bleachers, ogling at the student-athletes as if they were nothing but mindless marble statues.

 

Rolling his eyes, he whipped his head around to face his best and oldest friend, David Orphilus.

 

He and David had been friends since childhood, and he had no idea how. Besides sports, they had nothing in common. David could've been one of the best students in school if only he turned in his homework, and Aaron barely passed history last year.

Aaron left a trail of broken hearts wherever he went and David never even looked at someone with desire. David told the best and worst jokes you could ever hear, and Aaron wrote angsty poetry in a notebook hidden deep under his bed.

They were different in the physical sense, too. Aaron inherited his Brazilian father's golden-brown skin and dark, curly hair, but his eyes were pale green like his Swedish mother's. David had warm, dark skin that shined in the light and short black hair that faded around his ears on the sides.

 

Sure, opposites attract, but even that must have its limits.

 

The moment David met his gaze, Aaron raised an eyebrow as if to ask _Do you feel it too?_

 

David nodded slowly, his dark skin glistening with sweat. _I feel it, bro._

 

The realization hit him like a truck.

 

Mitchel wasn't there.

 

For as long as Aaron had known him, Mitchel had never missed a practice. The team meant everything to him! It was his free ride to college, his reason for getting up in the morning! His pride and joy!

 

It left a sour taste in his mouth.

 

Aaron's mother once told him that freckles kisses left by angles, and if that was true, then there was a good reason why Mitchel had so many. He was practically an angel himself; always smiling with his pearly white teeth and single dimpled cheek, waving at fellow students as he walked down the halls. The world could do some horrible things, Aaron was sure he didn't deserve any of them.

 

He shot David one last painful look before Harrison's whistle bellowed in the wind.

 

"That's all for today, ladies!" She screamed, her voice ringing above the agonizing groans of the athletes as they rubbed their aching muscles. "Hit the showers. Y'all smell like teenagers!"

 

David and Aaron were about to head to the locker room when they heard a familiar voice call their names. They whipped around, hoping to see Mitchel's crown of ginger hair, but instead found a girl.

 

Standing at only 5’2”, Brooke Lloyd shouldn't have been as intimidating as she was. She had a loud, high-pitched voice that oozed honey and round black glasses that covered her glassy, russet eyes. Oxblood red lipstick stained her bright, mischievous smile and her pink and purple hair popped against her black dress.

 

"Can we speak to you?" She asked in a tone that made both boys jump.

 

Beside her was Reese James, blunt and bitter. He was at least three inches taller than Brooke with intelligent silver eyes that jumped off his cool ebony complexion. He stood like an all-knowing God, his arms crossed over his chest, and his back perfectly straight underneath his pale blue sweater.

 

Aaron dropped his bag to the ground with a shrug. "Sure, I guess."

 

"We have a proposal for you," Reese said, "It involves your friend, Mitchel."

 

David gave them a concerned look. "Is he okay?"

 

"Oh, he's fine," Brooke assured, waving her hand. "Well, sort of," She added with a hoarse chuckle. "Do you know if he likes anyone? Maybe - and I'm just taking a wild guess here - a certain curly-haired drama student?"

 

_Oh,_ Aaron thought. She was talking about Hayden Argento.

 

Aaron had two distinct memories of Hayden. The first was in fourth grade when their teacher decided to put on a short play for Back to School night. Ask him what the play was about and he couldn't tell you, but ask him who stole the show that night and he would tell you the story of how the quietest kid in the school managed to knock the breath out of every parent, student, and teacher in the room.

 

The second was of Hayden and his three friends, two of which stood before him. The future stars of the high school drama department sat at their usual spot in the cafeteria; Hayden, Brooke, and Reese's faces bright red from laughing so hard at a joke that Casper, Brooke's twin brother, made that milk shot out Hayden's nose. Across the room, Aaron remembered watching his friend stare at Hayden as if he was a hungry moth and Hayden was a brand-new pair of fluffy wool socks.

 

"' _Like'_ isn't the world I would use to describe how Mitchel feels," David scoffed before Aaron could comment. "He's _whipped!"_

 

"Oh, trust me, we know," Reese grumbled, "That's what we need to talk to you about."

 

He looked the athletes dead in the eyes.

 

"We're done with it. Done with the hopeless sighs and silent pining! They've been like this for how long now?"

 

"Since middle school," Aaron supplied.

 

"Exactly! It's about time we take this into our own hands."

 

David cocked his head to the side. "How do you expect us to do that? It's not like we can just go up to them and force them to kiss or something."

 

"That's where we come in," Brooke said, a bit of hair falling into her eyes. "The goal is to get them to figure things out themselves - and they will eventually - but they need a little… push in the right direction! And we already have a plan." She continued, looking at Aaron, "You're in my science class, right?

 

He nodded.

 

_"Well~"_ She sing-songed, "we could use that as an excuse for you two and Mitchel to hang out with us after school or something. Knowing Hayden, he'll be much more comfortable if we're with him. What could go wrong?"

 

"I could give you a thousand ways it could go wrong," Reese claimed.

 

"Well, what do you think we should do, Mr. Know-it-all?"

 

Reese thought for a moment before shrugging. "I've got nothing but if I did, it would be way better than that!"

 

"It's all we got so it'll have to do!" She turned to the athletes. "So what do you say? Join our army?"

 

The athletes stared at them for a moment, lost in thought, their lips sealed tight. They knew Brooke and Reese were right. They knew that if they didn't do something now, Mitchel could spend the rest of his life mourning what could've been and like _hell_ were they going to let that happen!

 

"We're in," the student-athletes chimed in unison.

 

Brooke and Reese tilted their heads up, exchanging knowing glances before staring down at them with narrowed eyes and pleased smirks.

 

"Welcome to the Darkside."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!
> 
> Sorry the prologue took so long for me to get out. I wrote this six hundred times before I liked it, but I think it was worth the struggle.
> 
> Leave a kudos if you liked this and want to see more. As always, comments are welcomed!
> 
> Also, if you want, you can follow me on [tumblr!](https://adorkable-hedgehog.tumblr.com/)


	2. Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hayden is super gay, and everyone needs to chill.

A cold breeze drifted into the room, nipping at the pale toes peeking out from under the blankets, bathing the room in golden light. The rustling of leaves and the hum of motors echoed outside, the quiet neighborhood sprouting to life. Inside, a lithe figure loomed over the bed- his sharp silver eyes scanning the boy beneath him.

 

Reese couldn't help but admire his friend as he slept. He looked calm, almost peaceful, with his hair mussed against the pillows and his breath steady like the sea. It was so different from the shadows of insecurity and anxiety that stalked him in the daylight; his hands balled into the sleeves of his sweater and his mind racing with thoughts.

 

It'd be a crime to wake him, a price Reese was willing to pay.

 

"Wakey, wakey!" Reese hollered, grabbing fistfuls of the indigo comforter, and ripping them off the bed.

 

Hayden groaned, wrapping his arms around his shoulders as the cold air kissed down his skin. Hoping to savor the solace of the sheets for a moment longer, he tossed to his side, but it was no use, the warmth tarnished. His limbs hung like pipes from as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, reaching over to grab his glasses from the nightstand.

 

Through the frost-stained windows, Hayden could see the sun peeking out over the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant shades of pink and blue. Three canvases leaned against the windowsill, dripping with swirls of monochrome leftover from a last night burst of inspiration.

 

"What time is it?" Hayden asked, his voice raw with sleep.

 

"5:30," Reese said, playing the lapels of his faux leather jacket. A pair of sunglasses sat on his head, and his worn jeans split open at the knee to reveal his smooth skin.

 

Hayden scrunched up his nose. The outfit wasn't _Reese._ His friend usually dressed in simple t-shirts and sweaters, a button up if he felt fancy. The tinted sunglasses clashed with his dark complexion, and the leather jacket bunched up around his narrow shoulders.

 

"What's with the get-up?"

 

Reese laughed, "You don't remember? It's Spirit Week!"

 

It took him a moment to register his words.

 

"Fuck," he groaned, banging his head against the headboard. "Does that mean I have to dress up too?"

 

"Unless you want Dae to beat your ass, then yeah."

 

Hayden let out a long sigh before tossing the covers off his bed and sauntering to the closet. Hayden's bedroom was a disaster - empty paint tubes littering every surface and papers scattered across the floor - but his wardrobe was _spotless_. He organized every sweater, cardigan, and t-shirt by color; each pair of pants rolled and tucked into their respective drawers above racks of shiny, leather shoes.

 

"So what _exciting_ theme did the school manage cough up today?" Hayden jeered, pulling out a pair of jeans.

 

He could _feel_ the smirk on Reese's lips.

 

"1960's."

 

Hayden paused for a moment- a tiny, exasperated grin spreading across his face. "I hate you guys. You know that, right?"

 

 _"What~?"_ Reese fluttered his lashes. "We didn't do anything."

 

"Do you think I'm dumb?" Hayden said, resting his hands on his hips. "How is it that _my_ least favorite American era ended up on the top school's list of themes?"

 

"Why do you think I had anything to do with it-!?"

 

"Because you're student council president, dumbass!"

 

"Alright, fine, it was me," Reese relented, "But you should be yelling at Brooke. It was her idea!"

 

"It might've been her idea, but you're the only one with the means to make it happen."

 

"Whatever. Hurry up and get dressed or else we're gonna be late." Reese smiled as he made his way across the room. "I'll be downstairs when you're ready to join the rest of us here on Earth."

 

With that, he slammed the door.

 

*

 

The aroma of coffee hit him the moment Reese stepped into the kitchen. Hayden's mother, Dr. Argento, was leaning against the counter, sipping from a silver porcelain mug. It was scary how much she and her son looked alike with her dark hair pulled up into a loose ponytail, a few loose strands falling into her eyes.

 

 _"Buongiorno,_ Reese!" Dr. Argento chimed upon spotting him. "Ready for another _amazing_ day?"

 

Looks weren't where Hayden and his mother's resemblance stopped. They both had a searing love for sarcasm- one that left everybody around them either amused or utterly confused.

 

"I would be if Hayden ever got out of bed," Reese sighed, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

 

Hayden's house was more like a home to him than his own ever was. It was quiet here, an escape from the chaos of his life. When they were kids, Reese would stop by in the morning so he and Hayden could walk to the bus together. His parents never noticed when Reese left the house early, leaving his bowl of strawberry Cheerios untouched. As long as he came back at night, they were content.

 

He won't be thanking them when he wins his Nobel Peace Prize.

 

"He likes to sleep," Dr. Argento chuckled, "We could never get him into bed as a child, and now you can't get him out."

 

"It's _truly_ nightmare."

 

As if on cue, Hayden came padding down the stairs; his mess of curls bouncing with every step. He wore a red cashmere cardigan over a crisp white button up. His khakis were rolled up to the ankle, his brown loafers polished and shined. The only item that didn't seem to fit was his pair of signature black, half-rimmed specs.

 

"Nice," Reese said, looking his friend up and down. "Red suits you."

 

"Thanks," Hayden gleamed, twirling around to face his mother. " _Come sembro?" (How do I look?)_

 

 _"Sei Bello."_ _(You’re beautiful)_ She planted a kiss on his cheek before sneaking a glance at the clock. "Now go or you'll miss the bus!"

 

The boys whined but grabbed their coats off the rack anyway, draping their heavy backpacks over their shoulders. The wind bit at their noses and left trails of goosebumps down their arms as they trekked down the road, the thick layers of their coats too weak to withstand the harsh North-eastern chill.

 

"So did you manage to get the car or are we walking?" Hayden asked, rubbing his hands together for warmth.

 

Just then, an old grey Sedan pulled up to them, halting with a piercing squeak. The doors swung open to reveal ripped up leather seats and a long, deep scratch across the rear-view mirror.

 

Reese shrugged, sliding inside only to slam against a figure when a loose nail caught on his jeans.

 

"Watch it, asshole!" Reese’s little sister shrieked, jerking away with a scowl. "I'm not in the mood!"

 

"It was a _accident!"_

 

"Hey! No fighting, you two!" Reese's older brother snapped. "This car's already in rough shape. I don't need another brawl tearing up more of the seats! You're lucky I'm even driving you!"

 

The siblings huffed as they sped down the icy road, the silence sharp enough to cut steel. As soon as they pulled up to the school, Hayden and the siblings hopped out, turning separate ways with a breath of relief.

 

Across the parking lot, a herd of student-athletes gathered under the old weeping willow tree, kicking around an old soccer ball. They all sported the same navy-blue and yellow letterman jackets- _Greenford High_ stitched across the back in thick, white lettering.

 

Of those athletes, Hayden's attention settled on a single figure.

 

Mitchel Lovell was a sight to behold with his red hair swept back and his broad shoulders bobbing with laughter. He wore a tender expression like a mask as he spun around, waving at Hayden with a smile that alone could support every living thing on the planet.

 

Hayden whipped around, his cheeks burning red.

 

"Reese," he said.

 

"Yes, dear?"

 

"I'm fucking _gay."_

 

"No, you're fucking _hopeless,"_ Reese sighed, grabbing into Hayden's arm and dragging him into the school, the aroma of Axe cologne and desperation assaulting their noses. "Come on, let's get away from these _heathens."_

 

They found themselves inside the tiny cafe that sat in a corner outside the library. It was quaint and quiet- only a few tables here and there, and an old coffee maker resting in the corner beside of vase of browning sunflowers.

 

"Well, well, well," A pink-haired girl said as Reese and Hayden slid into their seats opposite her. "Look who decided to grace us with their presence."

 

"Very funny, Brooke." Hayden slumped in his chair, the back digging into his shoulder as he took out his phone, scrolling through _Tumblr_ as Brooke laughed.

 

"I see you managed to drag His Highness out of bed this morning," she told Reese, "Congratulations."

 

"Wasn't easy. It's like forcing a bear out of hibernation."

 

"I can take care of myself, you know?" Hayden grumbled.

 

"We know," a new voice chuckled as they swatted their perfectly manicured hand in the air. "We like to tease you, that's all."

 

Dae Noi leaned back in their seat, propping their feet up on the empty chair in front of them. Their black hair was shaved on the sides, tied up into a messy bun. Their narrow eyes sparkled with nude eyeshadow, a faded jean jacket hugging their shoulders.

 

"That doesn't mean you should! Aren't you people suppose to be my friends?"

 

"Of course, sweetie! We do it _because_ we love you!"

 

A moment later, another figure came crashing down beside them. At 5"11, Veronica Adesso practically towered over them, her dark hair and eyes shimmering like diamonds as she sipped on her peach and lemon iced-tea.

 

"What's up?" She asked, ghosting a kiss on whoever's cheek was closest.

 

Veronica must’ve been asked a million times if she was dating one of her friends. She could understand people's' confusion- she was always touching or hugging or kissing them - but she was an affectionate by nature. How could she not be when all her friends were so adorable?

 

"You're just in time!" Brooke cheered, "I was about to make an  announcement."

 

"What? That you're gay and depressed?" Reese said, "Sorry, Brooke, but we already knew that."

 

"Hush, child!" She said before clicking her tongue and resting her hands on the table. "Anyways, Mrs. Green assigned a project last Friday, and because I'm the fucking luckiest girl in the world, I have to work with _Aaron Torres."_

 

"Hold on,” Veronica said, amused, “You’re still not over _the thing?”_

 

"He threw up fruit-snacks all over my favorite sweatshirt!"

 

"It was third grade!" Hayden added, laughing.

 

"Doesn't mean I'm not still mad about it!"

 

"Okay, okay," Reese sighed, breaking up the argument. "What's your point?"

 

"The point is that we have to work on it at lunch."

 

"Why can't you just do it after school?" Veronica asked.

 

"No way," Brooke scoffed, "Apparently, he has some party-"

 

"The Bonfire!" Dae cheered.

 

They turned to look at them. "The _what?"_

 

"Every year before Homecoming, the seniors throw a party with this massive bonfire made out of old textbooks and stuff," Dae explained, their eyes wide and dancing. "Everyone brings something to throw in the fire and _‘rid of the of the sins of their past’_ or something, but honestly? It's just an excuse to get drunk off your ass."

 

"Sounds fun," Reese added with an unusual bitter tone, "too bad we'll never get invited."

 

"About that," Dae said,, "I _might_ have already been invited."

 

 _"What-?!_ By who?" Veronica squealed.

 

Dae smirked. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."

 

"Well, it doesn't matter," Brooke added a moment later. "The point is Aaron joining us for lunch, and with him comes... you know who."

 

Hayden's breath caught in his throat, all the color draining from his cheeks. His friends whipped around to face him, pity and what he could only describe as _knowing_ softening their expressions.

 

"I'm sorry, Hayden," Brooke cooed, taking his hand. "I know how you feel about Mitchel, but the sooner we get this done, the sooner you can go back to admiring him from afar, okay?"

 

"O-of course!" Hayden squeaked, "I'll be fine! I just have to make sure I don't speak to him… or look at him… or exist at all."

 

He let his head it the table.

 

"I'm going to die."

 

*

 

When Hayden claimed he was going to die, he didn't mean like _this._

 

The students of Mr. Schultz art class ran rampant across the soccer field, covered head to toe in the paint- water guns in hand. Buckets once filled to the brim tipped over, spilling murky water onto the grass, and the long canvas they were _supposed_ to paint was left spotless.

 

He had stepped into Mr. Schultz art class expecting nothing but the usual chaos. Mr. Schultz was known for his eccentricities, but this? This was _madness!_

 

Hayden almost came out of the war zone unscathed. He managed to scrub most of the paint off his arms until there were only a few faint spots littering his skin. His classmates spared his clothing, but unless he wanted to show up to his next class soaking wet, there was little he could do about the chunks of oil pastels stuck in his hair.

 

The mess didn't stir any attention, though, much to Hayden's relief. He slid into the classroom without so much as a glance in his direction, flopping into his seat with a sigh, oblivious of the pair of green eyes watching him.

 

Mitchel couldn’t help but stare at Hayden as he passed by, his heart thrumming in his chest. It was misery to have him less than a few feet away yet a million worlds apart. All Mitchel could do was watch him, dreaming of how warm Hayden would feel wrapped in his arms or if his lips were as soft as they looked.

 

"Alright!" an unknown voice said, slamming a stack of textbooks onto the desk and wrenching Mitchel from his daydream. "You're going to read the passage on pages 27 and 28 and answer the review questions-"

 

 _Okay, cool,_ Hayden thought, _Easy class._

 

"-with a partner!"

 

_Ah, there it is._

 

It's not that Hayden hated group work - anyone in drama could tell you he was the model of sociable - but it was hell when the only person in class he knew was the guy he's had a crush on since fifth grade.

 

When Mitchel glanced over at him from across the room, it occurred to him that they might be in the same boat. Maybe even people like Mitchel- people who radiated the confidence Hayden could only ever _hope_ to have - hated working with strangers?

 

Then again, they weren't exactly friends.

 

They could've been, through, if life hadn't worked out the way it did. If they hadn't been pulled apart by the social groups neither of them wanted in the first place, they could've been best friends- maybe even more.

 

The thought sent butterflies into his stomach.

 

"Hayden," Mitchel said, suddenly looming over him, rubbing the nape of his neck, "Do you want to work together?"

 

The smile Mitchel shot him had Hayden melting like an ice cube in July.

 

"S-sure," he choked out, pushing his books off the desk beside him.

 

"Thanks."

 

Neither of them spoke as they sat beside side by side, listening to the rhythmic ticking of the clock. Hayden flipped through the pages of the book while Mitchel glared at the chipping paint on the wall. He couldn't help sneaking a few glances at the other boy, though, and each time he was rewarded with a blush that made his heart grow six sizes larger.

 

Mitchel huffed, the silence cutting deep into his skin like a knife. He glanced over to the teacher - her nose buried in the pages of a book - before inching his desk to the left, the horrific squeaking of its rusted metal legs echoing through the room.

 

Hayden's eyes flickered towards him, the beginning of a smile tugging at his lips. He grabbed the edges of his desk, shifting it to the right, a chuckle crawling up the column of this throat.

 

They continued to inch their desks closer and closer together until they were pressed up against one another. As Mitchel studied Hayden's soft features up close, he thanked whatever God was watching over him for creating the beauty that was Hayden Argento.

 

_Say something, you dork!_

 

"Hi."

 

_Hi? That's the best you can do?_

 

"Hey," Hayden said, wiggling his fingers under the desk.

 

"I like your jacket?"

 

_Lame._

 

"Thank you! It was my grandfather's."

 

"Wow! And you still have it?" He let the words spill out of his mouth before he could process them. "Not that it's strange or anything!"

 

"No, no! It's fine. He gave it to me before he died."

 

In Mitchel's mind, an alarm went off. _You fucked up, you fucked up!_

 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you close?"

 

"Very," Hayden sighed, "He taught me to play piano, you know?"

 

"I didn't know played the piano. Only the ukulele."

 

He shrugged. "I'm not very good, but I can."

 

"Well," Mitchel leaned in closer, "It'd be an honor to hear your music someday."

 

"You will. I promise."

 

The bell rang then, but neither of the boys moved. They remained glued to their seats, weighed down by the desire to stay. Hayden was the first to stand, though, sliding his books into his backpack and waving to Mitchel before scurrying out of the room and vanishing into the sea of students.

 

*

 

Mitchel was ten feet from the cafeteria when his phone buzzed. It was a text from Aaron.

 

_Aaron: Our usual seats are taken. Meet us at the back doors._

 

Nodding to himself, he continued down the dusty halls. The chattering students and the smell of overcooked tater tots overtook his senses the moment he stepped into the cafeteria. He scoured the room for the familiar shape of his friends only to find their usual table abandoned.

 

_Mitchel: No it's not._

 

It was a few moments before he got a reply.

 

_Aaron: Just come here._

 

He made his way across the cafeteria to where Aaron and David were leaning against the back doors, their eyes glued to their phones. They wore matching letterman jackets, the bright shades of blue and yellow complementing their opposing skin tones.

 

"Hey, what's the deal?" He asked.

 

"There's no deal," Aaron said, "We wanted to sit somewhere else today. Is there a problem with that?"

 

"I guess not." Mitchel scratched the back of his head. "I just don't get why you lied."

 

"We knew you'd argue," David stated. "We've been sitting at the same table for four years. Don't you get bored of the same thing every day?"

 

"Not really."

 

Aaron huffed. "Whatever, man. Let's go already!"

 

They let Aaron drag them through the crowd, pausing every so often to nod at a passerby or look around, searching for something- *or someone, Mitchel thought. They didn't stop until they came to a small table in the far back of the cafeteria.

 

Five figures sat at the table, loose-leaf papers and stray pencils littering the surface. A tan boy with a knot of black hair atop his head was standing over a girl three times his size, laughing at a video of a cat stuck in a box. Another girl with bright pink hair was lost in the pages of her notebook while the curly-haired boy beside her chewed on the cap of his pen.

 

Mitchel _wished_ he was that pen.

 

"Sup', Nerds," David said, swinging into a vacant seat as if he'd known these people his whole life.

 

"Excuse me, we're not _nerds,"_ the pink-haired girl corrected, "we're _geeks._ Get it right."

 

"My sincere apologies, Your Highness." He dipped into a low bow, smirking before pulling a turkey sandwich out of his bag.

 

"You're forgiven."

 

Aaron and Mitchel sid into the last two empty seats- Mitchel squished between Hayden and his friend, the wrinkling of lunch bags and the crunch of chips filling the silence that had fallen over the group.

 

Veronica kicked Hayden under the table, clearing her throat as she flickered her gaze to Mitchel. Hayden's eyes widened, shaking his head as if she'd asked him to jump into a volcano. At the same time, Dae elbowed Aaron, making him jolt.

 

"So are you guys coming to the party tonight?" Aaron said in one breath.

 

"What party?" Veronica asked, her voice dripping with honey.

 

"The bonfire. It's at my place this year."

 

"Sounds like fun. We'd love to come," Brooke said, _"Right_ , Hayden?"

 

"I don't know." Hayden kept his gaze glued to the floor as he hid his face in the sleeve of his cardigan. "I don't really like parties."

 

"Please?" Mitchel pleaded, "I'd be more fun if you came."

 

Hayden perked up. "You think?"

 

"Definitely."

 

"I guess I'm in then." Hayden took a breath and turned to the rest of his friends. "You'll all be there, right?"

 

Dae laughed.

 

"What kind of friends would we be if we made you go alone?"

 

*

 

Aaron was already drunk when Hayden and Reese arrived in his backyard, his breath reeking of cheap beer. Hayden cradled a bottle of wine under his arm as their host stumbled to greet them, a dopey grin taking up the expanse of his face.

 

"Thanks for coming, guys! You can put that-" Swaying on his heels, Aaron pointed across the yard to nowhere- "over there."

 

"Thanks," Hayden mumbled. He doubted Aaron could hear the disgust in his voice as he resisted the urge to pinch his nose closed. He *hated the smell of beer.

 

The boys worked their way through the crowd, pushing between sweaty bodies and intoxicated laughter until they spotted Brooke and Veronica in the corner of the yard, lounging on lawn chairs with a familiar blonde boy between them.

 

"Casper!" Reese roared, "I'm glad you made it."

 

If Casper had pink hair and a nose ring, he would be a carbon copy of Brooke. He had the same short build as his sister and chubby cheeks he chewed on when he was nervous.

 

Hayden remembered how Casper gnawed on the inside of his cheeks when he received a letter from the private school he applied for freshman year. He held the envelope with shaky hands, tearing it open with care and pulling out a thin packet of papers.

 

Hayden remembered how he cried when he saw that he got accepted. It was the same choked sobbing as when he received his first binder for Christmas five years ago.

 

"You can't have a party without me," Casper said just as Hayden began to wander off. He yelled at him, laughing, "Where are you going, Hayes? Are you sick of us already?"

 

"I'm going to put this where none of your grubby little hands can get it!" Hayden called back, shaking the bottle and continuing to towards the refreshment table.

 

The refreshments had already been picked over, the brownie pans without a crumb to spare and the veggie trays left untouched. It made Hayden wish he brought cannolis instead of the wine.

 

With a sigh, he plucked a baby tomato from the tray and popped it into his mouth.

 

"You eat tomatoes whole?" A voice said, causing Hayden to jump and ram into the tall figure behind him.

 

Mitchel's navy letterman jacket looked black compared to Hayden's white cable-knit sweater, and his 1987 _Queen_ t-shirt peeked out from underneath. He had a red solo cup in one hand while he shoved the other into his back pocket.

 

"E-excuse me?"

 

"Sorry, that was rude. I've just never seen anyone eat it like that before. Not that it's weird or anything!" He bit his lip, his gaze settling on the bottle in Hayden's hands. "You brought drinks?"

 

"What?" Hayden hummed, lost in Mitchel's bright eyes. "Oh- right! Well, my mama likes to say a party's never dull as long as there's good wine, you know?"

 

"You're parents let you drink?"

 

"Of course?" he cocked his head in confusion before it hit him. "Only when I'm with someone, though! I'm not allowed to drink alone. It's an old family superstition," he added, hiding his fingers in his sleeves.

 

"Really?"

 

Hayden was about to retell the tale of how his great-grandfather choked to death on white wine, but before he could, David's voice echoed from across the yard. He stood on a glass table, waving one arm in the air. The other had dozens of flower crowns wrapped around it.

 

"Come on, come all!" He exclaimed, cupping his mouth like a megaphone. "Jump over the fire and claim your prize!"

 

People were already beginning to gather around him, eager to prove their worth, when Mitchel whipped around to Hayden, a question glittering in his eyes.

 

"Do you wanna try?"

 

"M-me?" Hayden squeaked, watching the flames dance over Mitchel's shoulder, grand and mocking. "I'd kill myself!"

 

Mitchel put a hand on Hayden's shoulder, making the boy's breath hitch. "I've seen people ten times smaller than you make it over no problem. All you have to do is run, jump, and let gravity do all the work."

 

Hayden let out a little grumble, unconvinced.

 

"I'll make you a deal, then. If you make it over, I'll do whatever you want for a day."

 

Hayden's ear twitched. "Really?"

 

"Anything within reason," Mitchel said, "I won't throw myself off a bridge or anything."

 

"Of course! I would never ask you to do something like that!" His face flushed pink as an idea came into his mind. "I-if I do this, I want to hang out with you tomorrow. You and me, all by ourselves." He added, "Alone."

 

Mitchel's face softened before he grabbed Hayden's hand. "We don't have to make a bet for me to do that, Hayden, but if that's you want, your wish is my command."

 

He led them over to where their classmates were hopping one by one over a low flame. Each one landed without a single scratch and left with a crown of snapdragons draped over their heads. Once and awhile, a couple would attempt the leap. They received the loudest applause, along with a few hoots and whistles.

 

"Can we go together?" Mitchel asked, ignoring the whispers of their classmates behind them.

 

"Wouldn't that ruin the deal?"

 

"That's different. I _want_ to jump with you."

 

"Okay then," Hayden said, taking a deep breath and squeezing Mitchel's hand. "Let's do this."

 

With a running start, they raced towards the fire, their hearts beating hard against their chests as they sprang into the air. Hayden's foot never came within an inch of the flames, and they landed flat on their feet. David was waiting for them on the other side, offering them two expertly crafted crowns and winking at Mitchel.

 

"Congrats, guys."

 

Mitchel couldn't help but wonder if he was congratulating them on making the jump or for something else entirely.

 

"See? I told you you'd be fine," He said, turning to find Hayden's face riddled with joy. He took the crown and placed it over the boy's head, the white carnations glowing against his dark curls.

 

"Only because of you." Standing on his toes, Hayden arranged his crown on Mitchel, fiddling with the petals until they were fluffed and perfect. He studied him, his brown doe-eyes sparkling like stars. "You look like a knight!"

 

Mitchel could've sworn his heart flew out of his chest right and there, leaving a gaping hole as Hayden's words circulated in his mind.

 

_You look like a knight._

 

_My knight in shining armor._

 

_Will you protect me?_

 

Mitchel would. He always would.

 

They spent the next few minutes sitting around the bonfire with drinks in hand, watching the other students attempt the challenge. Mitchel had exchanged his beer for a warm cup of wine when he noticed Hayden scrunching up his nose.

 

"Not a fan of beer?" He asked.

 

"I don't mind the taste. It's the smell I can't stand."

 

Their fun came to an end when Veronica bolted up to them, babbling as she flung herself into Hayden's arms, her yellow crop-top sliding down her shoulder.

 

"Hayden!" She cried, flopping down onto the grass and clinging to his shoulder, "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

 

Her friend laughed, "You tell me every day, Ronnie."

 

"Well, I want to tell you again. I love you!" She slid over to Mitchel, rolling up her sleeves and narrowing her eyes. "If you ever hurt him, I swear to fucking _God_ I will gut you like a fish!"

 

 _I guess I'm not his only knight in shining armor,_ Mitchel thought.

 

"Come dance with me, Hayes!" Veronica whined. She scrambled to her feet, dragging Hayden up with her. "We miss you when you're over here all lovey-dovey with your boyfriend. Not that it's not fucking _adorable!"_

 

"Ronnie!" Hayden giggled, untangling his friend's arms around his waist and giving Mitchel an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for her. She's clingy when she's drunk. I liked hanging out with you, though. Maybe we can do this again sometime?"

 

"I'd love that," he said as Veronica began dragging him away, "and Hayden?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Don't forget our deal."

 

Hayden smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."

 

*

 

The minutes ticked by like misery. Mitchel stared at the ground as his peers frolicked around him- their laughter worse than nails on a chalkboard. He secretly hoped that Veronica would get bored of dancing and set Hayden free. Drunk people weren't known for their long attention spans, but after a while, Mitchel realized Hayden wasn't coming back. Instead, he began to wander the yard.

 

At some point in the night, everyone had gathered into little packs- prattling on about who knows what, sucking down can after can of beer. Mitchel managed to worm his way into a group of familiars, but after a while, their conversation grew stale.

 

Just as he was giving up hope, he spotted Hayden and Brooke huddled behind the shed, the corners of Hayden's eyes stained red and his legs pressed against his chest. He was trembling, beads of sweat glistening under the flickering lights. His hands were balled into fists, leaving deep crescent-shaped marks on his skin.

 

A knot formed in the pit of Mitchel's stomach as he made his way over to them.

 

"Hayden? What's wrong?" He asked, reaching out to Hayden only to have Brooke swat his hand away.

 

"Don't touch him, you dumbass!" She shriek, "Don't you know? Never touch someone during a panic attack."

 

"A panic attack-?!"

 

"Yeah, stupid. That's what anxiety does to people!" She rolled her eyes, settling her attention on Hayden. "Take deep breaths, Hayden. We're going to get you somewhere safe, okay? Breathe."

 

She looked up him, eyes pleading. "Is there anywhere we can go _without_ a shit ton of people?"

 

Mitchel thought for a moment. "There's an empty room in the basement. Aaron keeps it locked, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we use it."

 

"Perfect! Help me get him up."

 

Hayden offered no resistance as they hoisted him up off the ground and carried him into the house. Mitchel lead them down a long hallway, empty besides for a single door. The lock clicked when Mitchel fished a key out from a behind a painting, the door swinging open to reveal a narrow staircase.

 

"This way."

 

The room was smaller than Brooke expected. There were two bean bag chairs lined up in front of a tiny T.V with a gaming console older than time itself resting on top of a rickety table. The room had a robust smell of vinegar that made her gag, and peach wallpaper she swore was from the 70s'.

 

Flopping down into a bean bag chair, Hayden curled up on himself, wrapping his arms around his shoulders like a shield. Brooke took a seat beside him, attempting to pull him into a hug only for Hayden to shrink further away.

 

Mitchel's heart broke.

 

Defeated, Brooke turned to go back upstairs. She nodded for him to follow, but a cold hand grabbed him before he could.

 

It was Hayden.

 

_Stay._

 

A small smile formed on Brooke's face as he joined Hayden's side, only sliding close enough for their knees to touch. Up close, Mitchel could smell traces of ash in Hayden's hair from the bonfire and count the eyelashes fluttering against his tear stained cheeks as they grew heavy.

 

He noticed Hayden wasn't wearing his crown anymore.

 

"What happened?" Mitchel asked, gesturing to his head.

 

Hayden shrugged, leaning forward on his knees and hiding his face in his hands. "I lost it."

 

"Oh... um, do you want mine?" He swiped the crown off his head and held it out to him.

 

"N-no, it's fine."

 

Mitchel was thankful some color returned to his cheeks.

 

A few minutes later, he felt Hayden's head hit his shoulder, a light snore escaping his lips as Brooke came padding down the steps. Her eyes grew wide the moment she saw them.

 

"H-how did you get him to sleep?"

 

Mitchel cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

 

"Hayden _never_ falls asleep this fast. Jesus, you must be fucking a wizard!"

 

"I guess I'm comfortable?" Mitchel chuckled, brushing a finger down Hayden's cheek.

 

"Whatever," she groaned, though it was hard to ignore the grin threatening to cross her lips. "I got Dae to let us use his car. Make yourself useful and help me get him upstairs."

 

Without another word, Mitchel scooped Hayden into his arms and carried him through the house. He did his best to ward off curious onlookers as they made their way to Dae's car. Mitchel laid the sleeping boy in the back and climbed in himself, signaling for Brooke to go.

 

Brooke was careful to avoid the potholes as they sped down the road. In the rearview mirror, she watched Hayden's head loll to the side to rest on Mitchel's shoulder. Her heart both sang and cried as he brushed his fingers through Hayden's hair.

 

"He likes you, you know?" Brooke blurted before she could stop herself. "To everyone else, you're just a jock with a big smile and nothing to lose. But to him-" she nodded towards Hayden- "You're something special.

 

"It's silly, but let me tell you; Hayden's fragile. Alone, it'd be so _easy_ to break him. A long time ago, someone almost did. That's why the world put us together- him and us. Together, we're stronger than a hundred men. We're stronger than _you."_

 

Mitchel gasped, a fire growing in his eyes. He clenched his fist, only to release it when he took a deep breath.

 

"I don't know you, Brooke, and you don't know me," he spat, trying to control his temper. "But I need you to understand that I'm on your side! I'm not some army trying to burn down your castle."

 

He was silent for a moment.

 

"I can't say I love Hayden like you do because we don't love him the same way. I mean, you're his best friends! You've been with him through thick and thin, and I'm just the guy who used to do Cub Scouts with him. I can never compare to you- I get that - but I could be the greatest knight you've ever seen if you gave me a chance. If _Hayden_ gave me a chance."

 

"You think so?" Brooke asked.

 

"I _k_ now."

 

She sighed, thinking for a moment before a smile grew on her lips and she reached her hand over the seats.

 

"Welcome to the team, Sir Mitchel."

 

Mitchel shook it. "It's an honor, Lady Brooke."

 

They pulled up to a small house on the end of the cul-de-sac a few moments later. The only word Mitchel could find to describe Hayden's Victorian house was... _cute._ A little deck hugged the front door with dozens of flower boxes hanging from the windows. The brick pathway was weathered and worn into abstract shapes and a tire swing dangled from a tree branch, swaying in the breeze.

 

Mitchel carried Hayden up the porch as Brooke rang the doorbell.

Hayden's parents appeared on the threshold, their calm expressions sending chills down Brooke's spine. She knew those faces better than she knew her own.

 

 _"Entra,"_ Hayden's mother said, waving her hand and leading them into the living room.

 

The room was warm and polished with a stone fireplace and two white couches set in front of a low coffee table. A hedgehog ran on a wheel inside a glass cage on top of a bookshelf in the corner. There were houseplants squeezed into every nook and cranny- suspended from the ceiling and clinging to window sills.

 

Mitchel set Hayden down on the sofa and took a seat next to Brooke, his hands resting in his lap. The Argento's joined them on the opposite couch a moment later, staring at their child and then back at them.

 

Brooke finally said what he wanted to all night.

 

"He's not drunk."

 

"We know," his mother sighed, brushing a stray hair out of her son's face. "Thank you for bringing him home. Both of you."

 

"It's been awhile, Mitchel," Mr. Argento said, Mitchel springing to life. "Last time we saw you, you had no front teeth and were barely five feet tall. I wasn't aware you two still hang out."

 

"We don't. Not really," Mitchel admitted, "but I hope to change that very soon."

 

"Well, you're welcome here anytime." Dr. Argento added, "Tell your parents hello. We should get together sometime."

 

"I will."

 

After a moment of silence, Brooke shot up.

 

"Well, I think it's time we got going. You know, school tomorrow and all." She took a step forward to dust kisses across Dr. and Mr. Argentos' cheeks. To Mitchel's surprise, they did the same for him, leaving his skin tingling.

 

Maybe Hayden will kiss him like that one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is more or less dedicated to my history teacher for walking into class and resisting the urge to say "Sup, nerds," every day.
> 
> Love you, Miss. B!!


	3. Tuesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hayden recalls the events from the party that left him in such a horrid state.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's where that warning comes in. Though the description of the attempted assault isn't graphic, I would still be cautious if you're sensitive to such content.

 

Technical Theater was  _ far _ from Mitchel's favorite class. If he hadn't needed a few more art credits to pass, he never would've signed up in the first place. He spent the hours alone in the rafters, fiddling with flickering light bulbs and adjusting microphones on costumes while his classmates babbled on in the background.

 

Their drama program wasn't like the ones in the movies. It wasn't a cathouse with students hissing and biting and scratching their way into the spotlight. They didn't give snide remarks to everyone who dared pass by or pour itching powder down each other's shirts. Instead, they helped each other with lines and hosted parties after every show- cheering for one another when they took their bows at the end of the day.

 

No one wanted their scripts soaked in bad blood.

 

They weren't talentless wannabes, either. Of course, they were wannabes - who isn’t in high school? - but they projected their lines with a passion Mitchel hadn't seen in his peers since the third grade, floating across the stage as if they were born for it.

 

Sure, they were great, but Hayden blew them all away.

 

He didn't have natural talent like his classmates. It took time for him to immerse himself in the story. It took time for him to understand where to stand and what to say and how to say it. But it was watching him transform from the quiet, timid boy everyone knew into a brilliant star that made him so marvelous.

 

Mitchel was there when Hayden auditioned for a role in the spring production of  _ Beauty and the Beast. _ He was one of many that hoped to snag a lead- waiting for their chance to show the world what they could do.

 

He was a different person when he walked onto the stage that day with his head held high. He was  _ stunning. _

 

Mitchel didn't know what song he sang or where it came from, but what he did know was that if he could bottle the emotion radiating from Hayden's voice, no one would ever smile again. Hayden kept his gaze on the floor as he sang, the notes falling from his lips in perfect rhythms. When he neared the end, his shaking voice grew quiet, his eyes glistening with tears.

 

Watching Hayden stand on the stage, gleaming with pride, Mitchel craved to hear Hayden sing to him like that; graceful and free. To Hayden, music was passion and joy and watching the clock stop. It was vulnerability and trust, a warm bath on a cold day. In a world of silver and gold, he wanted Hayden.

 

Mitchel was more than a little upset when Hayden got cast as  _ Lefou. _

 

Lefou was nothing but a lowly follower, throwing himself at the first person to give him the time of day. Hayden was smart and sweet, always staring off into space, lost in thought.

 

Mr. Picard was wasting Hayden's talent, forcing him into such a mediocre role. He would've been better off as the candlestick, for God's sakes! Hayden's one solo wasn't enough to make up for Mr. Picard's stupidity, either. He had to sing about the glory of the worst character in the play, portrayed by the only person Mitchel could say he  _ genuinely  _ hated: 

 

Luca Dean.

 

Luca was a distinct brand of awful. He was worse than the kids that smoked weed outside the cafeteria and spray-painted dicks on the bathroom stalls. He was worse than the football players who crept on cheerleaders at parties and called everyone fags.

 

He stood at a staggering six feet with shoulders the width of two oak trees and a chin large enough to land an airplane. His eyes were like storms, deep blue voids that dragging you farther and farther into its grasp until no one could hear you scream.

 

Luca thought the world revolved around him- that everyone somehow owed him something. He was the kind of person who'd stare at his reflection in the mirror and tell himself over and over again how magnificent he was.

 

Mitchel can give Mr. Picard one thing; He chose the  _ perfect _ Gaston. 

 

Somedays, Mitchel felt sorry for Hayden. Parading around the stage celebrating the same person who tripped you the hallways in middle school and push him off the swings when they were kids must've been draining.

 

Today was one of those days.

 

The students were in their best attire. Girls wore elegant dresses with their hair styled in intricate braids and boys wore crisp dress shirts and blazers that reeked of cologne. Mitchel had on his favorite white button-down and a velvet red jacket that once belonged to his older brother, Devin, with a pair of brown loafers snug on his feet.

 

Though the jacket had fit like a glove, he found it difficult to maneuver as he stood on a latter and swept a paintbrush over a wood cutout of what he assumed was a house. He was adding the final bits of detail just as the auditorium doors swung open.

 

Reese and Hayden raced down the aisle, dazed and sweaty. Hayden's hair looked as if he'd just crawled out of bed and Reese's button-up stuck to his chest, leaving awkward wrinkles around his arm.

 

"What the fuck happened to you two?" Brooke asked as they crawled onto the stage.

 

"Mr. Wilson found us s-slacking off in gym class. Made us run around the track three times," Reese huffed, grabbing onto Veronica's shoulder for support. "H-he wouldn't give us a pass. We had to run all the way here!"

 

Hayden collapsed onto the stage beside him, hideous bags hanging under his eyes. He pulled his arms over his face in an attempt to hide his flaming red cheeks. 

 

Dae knelt down beside him.

 

"Oh, honey," they cooed, taking Hayden's face in their hands. "Come on, let's go to the bathroom. I'll fix you up, okay?"

 

Hayden was silent as Dae dragged him into the bathroom, their arm wrapped around his waist to keep him from falling.

 

The lights in the boy's bathroom burned Hayden's eyes as Dae positioned him in the mirror, fishing through their bag and pulling out bottles of strange beauty products. They began lathering creams onto Hayden's pale face, patting the product down with a damp sponge and dusting sparkly powder on his cheekbones.

 

Dae pushed a few stray hairs away and took a step back to admire their work. "There! All better."

 

Staring at himself in the mirror, Hayden reached up to caress his cheeks but slapped his hand away before he could. The bags under his eyes were gone, his skin free of its usual uneven shades of pink and beige. He could pass as a functioning human now, though there was only so much highlighter and concealer could fix.

 

He was still dead inside. He'd slept two, maybe three hours the night before, memories of the party haunting his dreams. He could barely remember waking up this morning, his classes nothing but a blur of symbols and words.

 

_ I only have to make it through this, then I can go home,  _ Hayden thought, gripping the edge of the sink. He took one last deep breath, adjusting the cuffs on his floral jacket before ramming through the bathroom door.

 

The auditorium was alive with chatter when he and Dae slipped back into their places beside Brooke and Reese. Hayden's gaze settled on Mitchel the moment he spotted him. Mitchel was busying himself with setting the dozens of cardboard houses along the rear of the stage, his blazer doing nothing to hide the sharp lines of his body.

 

"Distracted?" Veronica chuckled, making Hayden yelp.

 

"N-no!" He blushed, wobbling on his feet. "Shut up!"

 

"Come on, Hayes. You can barely stand," Reese said, coming up beside him and holding out his hands as if to catch him if he fell. "Go take a nap in the choir room. It's empty."

 

"What if Mr. Picard sees?"

 

"He isn't even here yet," he said, pointing to the door. "Go."

 

Hayden groaned, sauntering out the back entrance of the auditorium and into the abandoned choir room. Brooke clapped her hands, everyone turning to look at her.

 

"Alright, kids! Let's get this show on the road."

 

*

 

Hours passed. Hayden didn't get a wink of sleep, and there was no sign of Mr. Picard anywhere. The class was getting restless, but as Brooke decreed, "The show must go on!" With less than two months before opening night, they didn't have a moment to spare.

 

Brooke skipped all of Lefou's scene in favor of letting Hayden rest, leaving Luca Dean free to wander the halls. A devious smirk grew on his face when he found himself in the choir room where Hayden lay stretched out on the bench, alone and vulnerable.

 

"What's up, kitty-cat?" He asked, sliding close enough that Luca could put his hand on Hayden's knee.

 

"What the fuck do you want, Luca?" Hayden snapped, sitting up and scooting as far away as the short bench would allow him. He wasn't in the mood for this.

 

"Don't be such a bitch. I'm just trying to talk to you!" Luca cried, grabbing Hayden's arm when he tried to swat him away.

 

"Maybe I don't want to talk to you, asshole!"

 

Before Hayden could think, Luca lunged at him- dragging Hayden forward until they were face to face. His anger wafted through the air like smoke, burning Hayden's lungs and prickling the hairs on his neck.

 

"I'll teach you to talk to me like that, you little shit."

 

He slammed Hayden down, forcing his arms behind his back and ramming his head onto the bench. He tried to thrash, but Luca was too heavy, his lower body going numb.

 

"Get off me!" Hayden shrieked in a futile attempt to get help, but no one could hear him from the auditorium.

 

Luca's hand came down hard, smacking him across the cheek so fast Hayden barely saw him move. The pain instantly traveled through his body, his heart thumping faster and faster in his chest and his blood running ice-cold in his veins. He could feel a mark setting where Luca had stuck him.

 

Everything after that was a blur of white noise and pain. There was a flash of red in the corner of his eye as the weight suddenly lifted off his body, allowing him to take in a breath.

 

Through his haze, he heard someone say his name.

 

"Hayden?" A warm voice asked, "Hayden, can you hear me?"

 

Mitchel's face came into view as his vision cleared. Hayden found himself propped up against the wall, the concert stones cold against his back. Mitchel was in front of him, far enough away that they weren't touching but his presences was all it took for some of the tension in Hayden's shoulders to fade.

 

"W-what happened?" Hayden asked, his throat dry as he rubbed his aching head.

 

Mitchel wasn't listening, his forest green eyes blown wide. "Where's your backpack? I'm taking you home."

 

_ "No!"  _ Hayden snapped.

 

What would his parents think when he walked into his house like  _ this-?!  _ What would they say when they saw the bright red outline of Luca's hand on his cheek once he whipped off the makeup?

 

"You can't stay here, Hayden!" Mitchel shot, "Not with him."

 

"I'm not going home! Wherever you want to go, I'll follow, just not there."

 

Mitchel thought for a moment before he sighed, "Fine."

 

Helping Hayden to his feet, they snuck out the back entrance of the school and into Mitchel's car. Hayden stared at the window as they drove, mesmerized by the passing trees, his breath finally beginning to even out.

 

A few minutes later, they pulled up to a small diner a few blocks from the school. There was a sign above the entrance, flashing  _ Harry's _ in bright red neon letters. An army of potted plants sat around the windows and even from the parking lot, they could hear the sizzle of greasy burgers on the grill.

 

Hayden had only been to Harry's once. It was a regular spot for students to gather after school. It was always too busy for Hayden - loud with chatter and the clashing of pots and pans - but with Mitchel at his side, he didn't feel so overwhelmed.

 

They were on the receiving end of several odd stares as they made their way to the back of the diner, settling into a booth beside a caricature of a woman balancing pies on her head. Neither of them paid any attention to the picture as the waiter came by, Mitchel placing an order for a basket of cheesy fries and two milkshakes- vanilla for Hayden and strawberry for himself.

 

"So what's going on with Luca?" Mitchel asked, sipping his drink, watching Hayden stir his own.

 

"Nothing," Hayden mumbled, finally putting the straw to his lips.

 

"It's not nothing!" Mitchel said, his voice tinged with anger. "Please tell me what's wrong. I only want to help."

 

After a long moment, Hayden sat up. "Are you sure you want to know? It's not a nice story."

 

"Not all stories are."

 

A beat passed.

 

"What did Brooke tell you happened at the party last night?"

 

"You had a panic attack."

 

"That's all? She didn't tell you  _ why?" _

 

"Not that I remember."

 

"Well, the truth is Luca was harassing me. He has been ever since I broke up with one of his friends in sophomore year." Hayden continued, his hands shaking. "He told me that there was no reason I shouldn't date him since I dated one of his friends, and when I rejected him, he started getting... aggressive."

 

He recalled how after Veronica got bored of dancing at the party, Luca cornered him in the bathroom. He'd thrown him into the wall, attempting to hike up Hayden's shirt up to expose his stomach and whisper into his ear.

 

"Oh, God, the things he said," Hayden shivered. "They were *disgusting, Mitchel! After that, h-he started to unbutton my pants. He was drunk, and I was able to shove him off before he did anything, but he s-still tried to-"

 

"Rape you," Mitchel said. "He tried to rape you, Hayden."

 

Hayden nodded, his eyes burning with tears. He buried his hands in his hair, tugging on the strands, hiding his face.

 

"It sounds so much worse out loud."

 

A fire grew in the pit of Mitchel's stomach, swirling deep in his gut and crawling up his throat- his mouth dry as he tasted bile building on his tongue. He needed to puke, he needed to break every bone in Luca's body, but none of that mattered. Hayden needed  _ him _ right now.

 

"Why haven't you told anyone?" He asked, his hands balled into fists under the table.

 

"Who could I tell? A boy harassing another boy is so unheard of, no one wouldn't care," Hayden scoffed. "Or was I supposed to take him on my own? You saw him. A two hundred pound football player against me? I wouldn't stand a fucking chance!"

 

"You could've called me!" Mitchel cried, "I would've protected you!"

 

Hayden froze, his eyes growing wide as all his blood rushed to his cheeks. The fury in Mitchel's voice was like nothing he'd ever heard. Hayden had to turn away, hiding the tears welling in his eyes.

 

"I'm sorry," was all he could say.

 

"You don’t have anything to apologize for, Hayden. You haven't done anything wrong. It's Luca's fault for being an ass." He felt tears stinging his own eyes. "No one's mad at you, okay? He's going to get what he deserves whether or not we do anything, but promise me one thing?”

 

"Anything."

 

"Next time you're in trouble,  _ call me." _

 

He smiled. "I will."

 

*

 

Mitchel had finished his milkshake by the time they both cooled down, their faces returning to their respective shades of pink as they listened to the faint pop music playing in the background, picking at the basket of fries in front of them.

 

"You drink those fast, huh?" Hayden said, salt sticking to his fingertips.

 

"I guess so." Mitchel studied his glass, noting the lonesome cherry at the bottom. "You know, when I was a kid, my parents told me I drank so many strawberry milkshakes that my hair turned red? I believed them for a while, too, until my sister was born."

 

"Do all parents tell their kids dumb things like that?" Hayden asked, "Even Brooke's dad tried to convince me that eating watermelon seeds made one grow in your stomach."

 

"Yours don't?"

 

"Yes and no, they're more like... superstitions?" He squeaked, "We have a lot of them in my family. Ever heard about the thirteen people at a table thing?"

 

Mitchel shrugged. "Vaguely."

 

"The idea is that thirteen people at one table is bad luck. There's also one that says if someone brushes your feet with a broom, you'll never get married." He winced. "My cousins used to chase me around with brooms, poking me and chanting, 'We'll save you!'"

 

Mitchel chuckled. " And did they ever get you?"

 

"I got whacked in the stomach more times than I can count but no. There's hope for me yet," He added with false enthusiasm. "I don't believe in that stuff, anyway."

 

"Yeah, me either," Mitchel lied.

 

The truth was, Mitchel  _ loved _ that stuff. He'd let the fantastical tales his parents would read to him at night trickle into his reality. As a child, he'd tell whoever would listen that one day he'd become a knight and marry a beautiful princess-  _ or prince, _ he thought to himself.

 

He fell in love with every  _ Disney _ movie he saw, even when Allison, his sister, would tease him. "Boys aren't supposed to like kissing!" She would cry, but Mitchel knew better than to listen to her.

 

Hayden polished off his drink just as the waiter came by, dropping a check onto the table. Mitchel reached across the table, pulling out his wallet, but a hand stopped him before he could.

 

"It's fine. I can pay for myself," Hayden said.

 

"No, no, I got it," Mitchel assured, piling a few bills onto the table.

 

"Mitchel-"

 

"It's okay. Let me take care of you."

 

He let Mitchel sign the check and lead them out to the parking lot without another word. They sat on the hood of his mid-night blue Sedan in silence, content to listen to the rustling of leaves and the rumble of cars as they zoomed by.

 

"Still don't want to go home?" Mitchel asked a moment later, shoving his thumbs into his pockets.

 

"Later," Hayden mumbled, his arms wrapped around his legs, pulled close to his chest.

 

"Well, we can't sit in the parking lot. We have to go somewhere."

 

"What do  _ you _ want to do, then?"

 

_ Kiss you, _ Mitchel thought, dismissing the thought as soon as it came. He stared across the street, instead, at the hiking path that trailed behind the diner.

 

He'd been down Blueberry trial a thousand times. He went by himself once and a while, on the rare occasion he wanted time alone, but with his friends or family more often than not. He and his siblings used to venture down the dirt path when it was too hot to sit inside the house and play until their parents yelled at them to come home.

 

The town named the trail after the two girls who died there after eating poisonous berries they thought were blueberries. There hadn't been any incidents since then, though, besides for a few collapsing trees and the occasional drunk teenager caught sleeping in a bush.

 

"We could take a walk?"

 

Hayden was hesitant at first- his gaze flickering to him and back to the path before he smiled. "Why not?"

 

*

 

The trees formed delicate arches over their heads as Hayden and Mitchel walked along the trail, their feet crunching beneath them. Their shoulders would brush together once in a while, resulting in awkward glances that made Mitchel's heart sore. He adored the way Hayden's nose turned pink in the cold and how he would lean into him when he shivered.

 

He would offer Hayden his coat if he had one.

 

"Do you like the winter?" Mitchel asked him, kicking the frost-covered dirt.

 

"I don't hate it," Hayden said, "It's beautiful when the snow's fresh. That makes up for the temperature, I guess."

 

Suddenly, Hayden's phone vibrated in his pocket. Glancing at Mitchel for permission, he tapped the screen- his eyes going wide as a voice rang out through the speakers.

 

_ "Ciao, Hayden! Come stai?" _ (Hi, Hayden! How are you?) Hayden's cousin cheered. He looked almost identical to Hayden, with the same sparkling dark eyes and messy hair, although he had sharper features and tanned skin.

 

_ "C-ciao, Dino!" _ Hayden stuttered. " _ Non posso parlare ora. Mi dispiace."  _ (H-hi, Dino! I can't talk right now. I'm sorry.)

 

His cousin cocked his head. _ "Perché? Dove sei?" _ (Why? Where are you?)

 

_ "Sto facendo una passeggiata con Mitchel." _ (I'm taking a walk with Mitchel.)

 

_ "Chi è Mitchel?" _ (Who's Mitchel?)

 

Hayden blushed.  _ "Il mio amico." _ (My friend)

 

_ "Solo un amico?" _ (Just a friend?) Dino smirked.

 

_ "Sta 'zitto! Mi stai mettendo in imbarazzo!" _ (Shut up! You're embarrassing me!"

 

"Okay, okay," Dino said in heavily accented English.  _ "Ti lascerò finire il tuo appuntamento." _ (I'll let you finish your date.)

 

_ "Non è un appuntamento!" _ (It's not a date!) Hayden shrieked, but the screen went black before he could finish.

 

He mumbled something under his breath as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Mitchel's mind was spinning. Hayden's conversation was nothing but a jumble of words. They sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite string them into sentences.

 

Mitchel had only been taking Italian for four years. He could introduce himself, his family, and order a pizza with six different types of toppings, but that's where his skills ended. He hoped to impress Hayden by learning his mother tongue in middle school, but he made a fool of himself instead- butchering everything he tried to say. Hayden took pity on him, though, tutoring him until Hayden switched to French in freshman year.

 

The class was a bore after that, but he held on for Hayden's sake. After all, it might be of use someday- when they got married and had their honeymoon in Rome.

 

_ "Chi è lui?" _ Mitchel tried in his best Italian, cringing when the words left his lips.

 

Hayden chuckled, a dazzling smile taking over his face. " _ Lui è mio cugino. Dino vive in Italy con mio zio e mia nonna. Parliamo dopo la scuola di martedì." _

 

He replayed Hayden's words in his head, translating them. "Dino's your... cousin! And he lives in Italy with your uncle and grandma?"

 

"Correct! What else?"

 

"That's all I got."

 

"Not bad. Your pronunciation could use some work but other than that, pretty good."

 

"Well, I learned from the best."

 

*

 

Hayden's house hadn't changed since the last time Mitchel saw it. The flower boxes were lush with fresh roses, and the deck light flickered on and off.  Both cars were missing from the driveway, allowing Mitchel to pull into the spot.

 

Mitchel noticed a silhouette of a small white figure perched in front of the door as they made their way up the stairs.

 

"Hello, Quora," Hayden said, bending to down to run his fingers through the cat's fluffy coat. "Have you had enough of the outside? Me too."

 

Mitchel smiled to himself as he watched Hayden unlock the door, picking up his cat and depositing her inside. He found the way Hayden spoke to his endearing. It was completely different than how Mitchel talked to his dog, cooing to her as if she were a baby. To him, though, she was a baby.  _ His _ baby.

 

"I had a lot of fun," Mitchel said, breaking the companionable silence that had fallen between them. "Despite everything, it was probably the best date I've ever been on."

 

Hayden froze. "D-date?"

 

"Unless you don't think it's a date!" Mitchel shot, "Totally understandable!"

 

"No, no! It's okay. Thank you for the d-date. For everything, actually. I think you're the only person in the world who would come to my rescue like that."

 

"I wish you knew how wrong you are," Mitchel sighed, taking a tiny step forward. "Hayden, may I kiss you?"

 

Hayden let out a tiny gasp, nodding before Mitchel cupped his cheeks and pressed a feather-light kiss to his forehead. His lips barely grazed Hayden's skin, but it sent tingles down their spines, their faces burning up.

 

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Hayden asked as Mitchel ascended down the stairs, one foot resting on the steps.

 

"I'll see you tomorrow."

 

And with that, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two. Wow! Not much to say except remind you that if you enjoyed this work, please leave a kudos! Comments and suggestions are always welcome, as well! Also, I might or might not have used this chapter as an excuse to practice my Italian...
> 
> I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up as it's still in production, but keep an eye out!


	4. Bonus Chapter: Thunder & Lightning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Hayden first year at Cub Scout camp without his mama or papa, and he's not happy. Good thing there's a certain redhead determined to make this the best camping trip of Hayden's life!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song at the end is "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz and you can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A
> 
> Have a nice 2000's music video to cleanse your soul :)

Hayden was a mess. His eyes burned with tears as he clung to his mother's leg, leaving dark stains on the rough fabric of her jeans. He didn't want to let her go. She couldn't leave him alone in the middle of the woods with these half-strangers.

 

She wouldn't!

 

Hayden and his cub scout troop went camping every summer, and every summer, it just got worse. The outdoors weren't his thing. He didn't like dirt, or bugs, or running around - all the things the other boys loved more than anything else. He hated food cooked over a fire with the way it tasted like ashes on his tongue.

 

To make matters worse, this was his first year going  _ alone. _

 

His mama or papa always came with him. They made sure he had everything he needed, reminded him to take his medicine before bed - all the things he didn't trust himself to remember. At night, Hayden and his papa would cuddle, safe and warm in their quiet tent, and when he and his mama went on hikes, they sang his favorite songs, the winding trail rough on their feet.

 

That year, Hayden would sleep alone, listening to the wind howl in the dark, the cold ground pressing against his back. That year, he would hike the trail in silence, his legs aching from the climb, his sensitive skin burning in the sun.

 

"It's okay,  _ tato, _ " his mother cooed, patting his cloud of messy brown hair, standing in the campground parking lot, "I'll be there bright and early on Sunday to pick you up."

 

Hayden only squeezed her leg tighter, his fingers turning white from gripping the handle of his suitcase.

 

His mother sighed, getting to her knees to pull him into an embrace. "Please try to have fun. For me?"

 

"I can't, mama. I'll miss you too much," Hayden sobbed, wrapping his arms around her neck.

 

In the corner of Hayden's vision, a blob of red emerged from the trees - it's green eyes shining bright, and it's skin dotted with dozens of tiny freckles.

 

Mitchel Lovell's uniform was already dirty, his navy-blue sash covered in patches of mud. His hair was swept back behind his ears, and he had three pirate bandages stuck to his knees. Even without his two front teeth, an award-winning smile grew on his face, but it fell the moment he saw the tears staining Hayden's cheeks.

 

"Hayden?" He asked, moving to stand at his side. "What's wrong?"

 

"It's Nothing, he's fine," Dr. Argento said, brushing a strand of hair out of her son's eyes. "Just a little nervous."

 

"O-oh. I could walk you to the campsite if you want?" Mitchel offered, staring at Hayden, rocking back on his heels. "And help you set up your tent and stuff?"

 

"That's very kind of you, Mitchel." Dr. Argento turned to Hayden. "See? You already have a friend!"

 

The boy nodded, hiding his face in his sweater. It was his favorite, pale yellow with daisies all over it.

 

"*Bravo. Now come on." She managed to pry him off long enough to pop the trunk and pile the rest of his luggage onto the ground. "Be good, okay? Mitchel's going to take care of you, right?"

 

"Yes, mama," Hayden said with one last hug. He watched as she climbed into her car, and drove away, leaving the boys stranded in the parking lot.

 

Mitchel turned to Hayden and smiled before grabbing a bag and starting down the trail.

 

"This weekend is gonna be awesome!"

 

*

 

Mitchel's plan was simple.

 

1) Help Hayden set up his tent and impress him with his remarkable camping skills.

 

2) Spend the rest of week with Hayden and eventually become best friends for life.

 

Easy, right?

 

Wrong.

 

There was one major flaw in Mitchel's plan; he had no idea how to set up a tent.

 

He'd watched his father do it a thousand times, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't mimic him. It was a bummer, too. Now the only thing impressing Hayden would be Mitchel's ability to hold his tears.

 

Mitchel and Hayden struggled with the poles and tarp of the tent for what felt like hours before Mitchel groaned, ready to give up and sleep on the ground. Mitchel already had a tent, though, one he was sharing with brother and father. If he gave up, it would be  _ Hayden _ on the ground.

 

The thought only made him work harder.

 

"It's fine, Mitchel," Hayden said, watching Mitchel thread poles through the tarp with renewed vigor. "Let's just ask your dad for help."

 

"No! I can do it!" Mitchel snapped, aggravation straining this throat. At this point, he was just banging things together, hoping they would somehow form a tent.

 

"You're gonna break it!" Hayden shot just as shadow rose over them, looming over the boys like a mountain.

 

At first glance, Nicolas Lovell looked nothing like his children. They all had full heads of ginger hair and bright green eyes - the complete opposite of his dirty blonde hair and deep brown eyes. It's only in their smile could you see the resemblance.

 

"What's going on?" Mr. Lovell asked, kneeling on the ground beside his son. He stared down at the mess of tools on the ground and laughed.

 

_ Laughed! _

 

"Do you need some help?"

 

Mitchel kicked the dirt under his feet, his face almost as red as his hair. "I tried, dad. Look!"

 

"You did very well, Mitchel, and you  _ almost _ had it." Mr. Lovell picked up a few pieces. "Let me show you."

 

Hayden and Mitchel watched in awe as Mr. Lovell set up the tent one step at a time, snapping the poles together and stringing them through the tarp until they had a tent big enough for four people.

 

Mr. Lovell took a step back to admire his work, dusting off his gloved hands with a smirk.

 

"There we go. All done and ready to go."

 

The boys climbed inside the moment Mr. Lovell gave them the thumbs up, dragging Hayden's bags into the tent one at a time. They laid down Hayden's sleeping bag in the corner and began to unpack his clothes when Mitchel came across a bottle of pills at the bottom of his suitcase.

 

"Hayden?" Mitchel said, holding them up, "What are these?"

 

Hayden turned to him with a hum.

 

"Oh, that's my medicine."

 

"Medicine? For what?"

 

"For sleeping."

 

"Why do you need medicine to sleep?"

 

Hayden shrugged. "I don't know."

 

They were silent after that.

 

*

 

"So what do you wanna do now?" Mitchel asked as they sat outside on an old log, dirt sticking to their bottoms.

 

The sun was still high in the sky, and the scent of firewood was fresh in the air. Most of the other kids had run off towards the lake a few hours ago, but Mitchel stayed behind with his father to wait for the rest of the troop to show up.

 

Hayden was the last to show up, so here they were; alone in an abandoned campsite.

 

"I don't know," Hayden said, cleaning his glasses on his shirt.

 

Mitchel sprung to life. "Hey, why don't we-"

 

Just then, two figures came bolting over to them, tackling Mitchel to the ground. Hayden recognized them as David Orphilus and Aaron Torres, Mitchel's best friends. David carried a walking stick three times his size and Aaron had a glob of sunscreen smeared across his nose and cheeks.

 

David and Aaron never paid him much attention. Hayden didn't know if it was because he was quiet, or if they just didn't like him. Whatever the case was, they never spoke, and he wasn't against keeping it that way.

 

"What's up, guys?" Mitchel said, thankful for the noise.

 

"We were just gonna go to the fort. You want in?" David asked, scraping his walking stick across the ground.

 

"Uh, sure! Can Hayden come?"

 

Hayden's ears twitched as a familiar wave of anxiety washed over him. The idea of running around in the dirt with six other kids, the sun beating down on his cheeks and frying his pale skin like bacon, made him wince.

 

Aaron cocked his head to the side. "Why wouldn't he?"

 

"Yeah," David added, "Who else is gonna be the princess?"

 

*

 

An hour later, and Hayden was stuck sitting in the corner of a stone fortress in the middle of the woods, his arms wrapped his knees as David circled him like prey.

 

In their game of knights, David was the wicked dragon holding the beautiful princess captive atop the tallest tower in the kingdom. Beneath them, the rest of the boys wailed as they charged towards the castle, waving swords made of sticks in the air.

 

They each took turns trying to "slay" the dragon, but David crushed them all like ants. He was the tallest scout in the troop, easily the size of every boy combined. For kids standing less than five feet tall, fighting David was like taking on an actual dragon.

 

Hayden wished Mitchel had told him about the fort earlier. He would've enjoyed settling into a comfy spot on the grass with his sketchbook to draw. Hayden adored the way the fort stood tall against the bright blue sky - it's cracked stone walls carved with tales of the past.

 

He didn't, however, adore how far from the ground the tower was. Looking down from the window made bile crawl up this throat and his vision blur.

 

"You'll never get the princess!" David shot out the window at the "knights" scrambling for entrance. "She's mine forever!"

 

In the corner, Hayden grumbled, "I'm not a princess."

 

Who's idea was it to make Hayden the princess anyway? Hayden was the exact opposite of what a princess should be - polite, and graceful, and beautiful.

 

"Princess don't talk back!" David spat, twirling to face him, moving closer and closer until Hayden could feel his breath trailing down his neck.

 

Without thinking, David grabbed Hayden's arm and dragged him across the wall, pressing his chest against the stones until half his body dangled out the window. Hayden whimpered, panic creeping up his throat and sweat sticking to his skin. He started at the ground below, the cold concrete waiting for him to slip so it could welcome him to his end.

 

"Please let me go," Hayden choked, but David wasn't listening. Instead, he gripped the collar of his sweater, ensuring Hayden couldn't move.

 

"Come any closer, and the princess gets it!"

 

The earth grew farther and farther away with every minute, and it felt like he would fall for eternity if he slipped. Hayden's face was stained red with tears, and his breath stopped in this throat, suffocating him.

 

"David!" Mitchel called, rushing up the stairs to join his friend's side. "Stop, you're hurting him!"

 

David let go after a moment of wrestling with Mitchel, freeing Hayden of David's vice-tight grip. Hayden dropped to the floor, his face hidden in his hands and his body curled into a ball. Mitchel got to his knees to check on him, but before he could reach out a hand, Hayden bolted - fleeing into the woods.

 

*

 

No one saw Hayden until later that night when the sun had gone down, casting the campsite in silver light. They weren't sure where he went after he ran off. They assumed he went back to camp, but that didn't stop them from worrying.

 

The scouts of Troop 3267 were sat around the fire, munching on their fire-roasted hot dogs in silence, when they heard the familiar scratch of a tent unzippering. Hayden stepped out, and they froze, relief washing over them.

 

They kept their heads down in shame as Hayden sauntered over, grabbing a hotdog off the plate and plopping down on an empty spot in front of the fire.

 

No matter how much Hayden hated the taste of firewood, it would always beat starving.

 

Beside Mitchel, David tensed. Out of all the boys, David was the most guilty. Mitchel could see it in his eyes, the way they stared at the patches of grass on the ground as Hayden walked by, and how he glanced up at him once and a while, trying to read the expression that wasn't there.

 

It didn't take long for him to snap.

 

"Hey, Hayden?" David whispered, shifting to sit next to him, "I'm sorry about the game. I didn't know I was hurting you. I guess I get way too into it."

 

Hayden smiled at him, swallowing a bite of his sandwich. "It's fine. You just scared me. You're an awesome dragon, you know?"

 

David gleamed. "Thanks."

 

After that, things seemed to pick up. The boys began to chat, sharing stories and making jokes as if nothing happened. Aaron through it was a good idea to build a teepee out of sticks and light it on fire, but Mr. Lovell shut them down before they could even gather twigs. They set the sticks on fire instead, blowing them out and waving them through the air, mesmerized by the trails of smoke they left behind.

 

The party was just getting started when another parent volunteer demanded they go to bed. Tomorrow would be the beginning of camp activities, and they needed their rest.

 

With one last good-night, everyone retired to their tents.

 

The horrific scent of skunk greeted Mitchel the moment he set foot in his tent. His father was sitting in the center, rubbing tomato juice on his brother's arm with a sponge.

 

He plugged his nose. "What happened to you?"

 

"Do I have to tell you?" Devin scoffed, "Bushes, water guns, and skunks are not a good combination."

 

Mitchel huffed. How was he supposed to sleep when Smelly-Magee beside him? He considered just staying outside when an idea popped into his head.

 

He rolled up his sleeping bag, packing his belongings back into his backpack, before heading towards the door.

 

"Hey, where are you going-?!" His dad asked.

 

"I'm moving out!" Mitchel said, zipping the tent closed.

 

He snuck through the darkness, looking over his shoulders every once and a while before he came across a familiar structure. He tapped at the entrance of the tent, welcomed by Hayden's adorable face once it opened up.

 

Hayden had changed out of his sweater, and now wore a pair of light blue polka-dot pajamas. His socks were mismatched - one decorated with music notes and the other with silver dragon scales.

 

"M-Mitchel? What are you doing here?"

 

"Can I sleep with you? My brother got sprayed by a skunk, and he's stinking up my tent."

 

He peeked over Hayden's shoulder to look inside. There were clothes scattered all over the floor - almost like he'd been searching for something. Two empty suitcases laid open, and a lantern hung from the ceiling, lighting the small space.

 

"Make yourself at home, I guess," Hayden said, shuffling over to let Mitchel in. He settled back into his sleep bag as Mitchel crawled inside, taking his time to lay out is own blankets.

 

"So what do you do for fun around here?" Mitchel asked, fluffing his  _ Nemo _ pillowcase.

 

Hayden shrugged. "Sleep, I guess."

 

"C'mon, Hayden!" He groaned, "that's  _ boring!" _

 

"Okay. Well, then...." Hayden searched around for a moment until he paused, spotting something in the corner of the tent.

 

A ukulele.

 

He grabbed it, positioning its small frame over his lap and tickling the strings to test its tune. Hayden looked up at him, a red glow on his cheeks as he began to strum.

 

_ "Well you done, done me and you bet I felt it _

 

_ I tried to be chill but you're so hot I melted _

 

_ I fell right through the cracks _

 

_ And now I'm trying to get back. _

 

_ Before the cool done run out _

 

_ I'll be giving it my best-est _

 

_ And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention _

 

_ I reckon it's again my turn, _

 

_ To win some or learn some." _

 

Mitchel was enchanted. He'd never heard Hayden sing before, but it was his new favorite sound. His voice was as smooth as silk, as free and vast as the night sky.

 

He watched in awe as Hayden strummed on, clinging to his every note for dear life, swaying from side to side to the beat. Mitchel let out a breath as the last note rang out, his heart steady in his chest.

 

"Wow," was all he could say.

 

"Thanks." Hayden blushed, but despite the color, he seemed off. He wouldn't meet Mitchel's gaze, his brown eyes clouded with worry as he scanned the room.

 

"It something wrong?" Mitchel asked.

 

"I think I lose my pills," Hayden said.

 

Hayden patted around the floor and with the palm of his hands. When he didn't find anything, he reached over for his backpack, sticking his hand all the way to the bottom and searching.

 

Mitchel tried to follow suit, but he didn't know where to look. To him, the tent was just four walls and a roof. There weren't many places they could be besides in Hayden's bags or the endless abyss of the outside world.

 

Hayden shook his head, his glasses sliding down his nose.

 

"It's fine," he said to himself, "It's fine. I can sleep without them this one week."

 

"You sure? I mean, my parents never let my sister go a day without taking her medicine," Mitchel said.

 

Mitchel's oldest sister, Allison, had to take pills twice a day - one in the morning and one at night - but he had no idea why. His mom and dad told him something about her emotions not working like the rest of theirs, but it wasn't clear.

 

Hayden sighed before grabbing his sleeping bag and pulling it over himself. He turned away from Mitchel, switching off the lantern in the process.

 

"Let's just go to sleep. I'll be okay."

 

*

 

He was not okay.

 

Hayden didn't how much time had passed since he'd turned off the light and went to bed. He just laid there on the cold hard ground, wondering where on earth his medicine could've gone.

 

No matter how many positions he tried or how tight he squeezed his eyes closed, he couldn't fall asleep. He tossed and turned, drank the last of his water, and even tried counting sheep, but nothing worked. He could feel his eyelids grow heavy, but they remained glued open, burning his skin.

 

The storm outside didn't help. Most times, Hayden found rain peaceful - the pitter-patter of raindrops on the windows like a lullaby - but now it served as a distraction, depriving him of the rest he so desperately needed.

 

Beside him, Mitchel shivered. The crash of thunder echoed through his head like a bullet, making him whimper. He covered his ears with his hands as another bolt of lightning shot through the sky, the earth trembling in its wake.

 

"Hayden?" Mitchel said, still facing the wall, "Are you okay?"

 

Hayden froze at the question, his shoulders turning stiff. He shifted until he and Mitchel were face to face, staring at one another through the darkness.

 

"Yeah."

 

_ Lie, _ Mitchel thought.

 

"Do... do you want to come sleep with me?"

 

Even though it was quiet, Hayden could hear the tremble in his voice, and he thought for a moment before saying, "Mitchel, are you scared of thunder and lighting?"

 

Mitchel shrugged. "A little."

 

Before he could say anything else, a weight suddenly appeared beside him, warming him to the core. Mitchel wiggled around so he could stare at Hayden. The boy's hair was tousled, and his cheeks were flaming red as he snuggled against him.

 

Mitchel found it hard to breathe.

 

So what if his plan hadn't worked out exactly the way he'd hoped? So what if he and Hayden weren't best friends yet? Laying side by side - pressed against one another - he knew that someday, they would be.

 

He was sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brother used to do Cub Scouts, so I used his old campground as a model for this one. I don't know why I went with him since it was "boy scouts", but whatever. It was fun anyways.
> 
> Tato is an Italian pet name usually used by parents for their children. I thought it would be cute for Hayden's mom to call him that as well.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this little bonus story. I believe this is 1/3 so there will be more!
> 
> Don't forget to leave a kudos or a comment, as always!


	5. Valentine's Special: Time Square Can't Shine As Bright As You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> February 14th meant two things for Dae:
> 
> Hayden's birthday, and the day they got to exchange gifts with their long-distance boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This happens a year before the events in the story.
> 
> Also, if you can't tell, the title was taken from everybody's favorite cheesy love song, "Hey There, Delilah."

Dae fiddled with the collar of their shirt as they stared at themself in the mirror. They never looked as good as they wanted to, with their hair standing up in awkward positions and one streak of eyeliner bolder than the other.

 

They'd spent three hours getting ready this morning; putting on their makeup and rearranging the bracelets on their wrist every time they dared to look at them. Dae had more clothes than they knew what to do with, but no matter what, everything they put on felt wrong. The first outfit wasn't cute enough, the next was only red, and by the third, they were too tired to try again.

 

In the end, they'd settled for a cropped button-up, light blue with flowers embroidered around the collar, and dark jeans that hugged their waist. They matched it with a pair of brown boots and a velvet red porkpie hat.

 

_ That'll do _ , Dae thought with a sigh.

 

They grabbed a box off their bed before making way to across the room and flopping down into their rolling chair. Their desk stood pushed up against the back wall of Dae's bedroom, covered in an array of makeup compacts, brushes, and school papers they never threw away.

 

Dae examined the dusty-pink wrapping around the box, the silver bow sitting on top untouched. Their hands urged to shake it, to find out what lurked inside, but they stopped themself. Dae gave their word to their boyfriend that they wouldn't open it until tonight, and they had every intention of keeping that promise.

 

They started the tradition last year when Dae sent their boyfriend, Seong, a care package without telling him. Seong was so upset he didn't get anything for Dae - not having realized it was Valentine's Day in America - that they decided they would send each other presents on February 14th every year, and open them together on video chat.

 

The time difference made things hard, but they always found a way.

 

With a deep breath, Dae turned to their laptop, watching it spring to life with that little tune they'd heard a thousand times. Skype popped up with one click, the dot above their name turning green. They glanced over at their friend's list, noting that their boyfriend's name was green too.

 

They didn't hesitate in calling him, Dae's heart fluttering with every ring. They checked themselves in the camera one last time, sighing at their appearance before a face appeared on the screen - a smile taking up the expanse of their boyfriend's tan face.

 

Seong got more and more handsome every time Dae saw him. His dark eyes didn't sparkle like their own, but they drew them in like a siren's song nonetheless. He usually let his hair fall over his face, but tonight, he wore it styled in a short quiff, ebony locks glistening with smooth gel.

 

He was quiet for a moment, staring at Dae as if he'd never seen them before.

 

"Wow," Seong sighed, hearts in his eyes, "you look incredible."

 

Dae gasped, giggling. "That's so unfair! You always compliment me first. It was my turn to gawk at you this time!"

 

"How am I supposed to resist when you're so beautiful?"

 

They were silent for a moment, watching each other as if they would disappear. Dae longed to reach through the screen and touch him, caress his cheek, wrap themself in Seong's strong arms, and fall asleep to the sound of his breathing.

 

"How was Hayden's party?" He asked, leaning in closer to the camera.

 

Dae leaned back in their seat. "It was fun, as always. I thought we might do something different since he's 17 now, but we did what we normally do; eat junk food and watch cheesy romance movies."

 

"It must be awesome having a birthday on Valentine's day," Seong snorted.

 

"Oh my God, he  _ hates _ it! Everyone freaks out. 'Omigod, your birthday's on Valentine's day!'" Dae mocked, their voice rising higher than normal, "He'll like it when he gets a boyfriend, trust me."

 

"Oh yeah, how's it going with him and Mitchel?"

 

"They're still oblivious, of course, but me, Brooke, and Reese are working on it. They actually  _ talked _ to each other today!"

 

"Impressive."

 

Dae rolled their eyes. "I wish. They'll figure it out on their own eventually. For now, I just want to focus on us. Did the package get there alright?"

 

Dae had worried about the shipping for weeks. They weren't sure how long it would take for the presents to get from America to Sangju-Si, Seong's hometown. They found themselves biting their nails every time they thought about the package arriving on Seong's doorstep crushed and mangled beyond repair.

 

"It's all here," Seong said, pulling a box out from behind him. "Do you want to open yours first?"

 

"No! Open yours!"

 

He laughed, "Okay, okay, I'm on it."

 

Seong reached inside and pulled out his first gift, a pair of pixelated rainbow sunglasses. He laughed, putting them on his nose and striking a pose.

 

"How do I look?"

 

Dae smiled. "Perfect as always. There's more."

 

He dove back in, finding a Star Wars mug, three new shirts, a pair of slivers Vans, and several bottles of cologne. Underneath all of that, though, sat the biggest surprise; bags and bags of candy - some of which Seong had never seen before.

 

"What even are all these?" Seong asked, sorting through the colorful packages and smelling them through the plastic, "You know my family will kill me if they see these, right?"

 

"Make a secret stash or something," Dae said, "I still can't believe your parents don't let you have candy!"

 

He shrugged. "It's empty calories. Open my gifts now!"

 

Dae couldn't wait to rip the pretty paper right off that box, but they did so with care. They treated everything he gave them like gold - that's what they were to them, after all.

 

Inside, they found a bouquet of a dozen felt roses tied together with a blue ribbon, a model of the Statue of Liberty standing in all her glory at the center.

 

"You know, I've been to the Statue of Liberty before? Why are you getting me something from New York when I live here?"

 

"I saw it, and I thought of you. It reminds me that we'll be together someday. I doubt I'm better than New York, though."

 

"Time Square doesn't shine as bright as you, love."

 

Seong snorted, "That was bad, Dae, even for you."

 

"I know," they chimed, turning back to their task.

 

Besides the flowers, three candles sat on top of a box of new makeup brushes, the bristles colored pink at the tips. They picked out a few more items - a pair of earring, the latest editions of a Korean magazine they liked, and a small container of vanilla lip balm - before feeling something soft at the bottom.

 

"Seong, what's this?" Dae asked.

 

Their boyfriend smirked. "Open it and find out."

 

They reached inside, pulling out what looked like an old, tattered hoodie. This wasn't an ordinary sweatshirt, though. This one smelled like Seong, and Dae couldn't stop themself from holding it up to their nose and taking a long, deep sniff, and breathing in Seong's scent like a drug.

 

"This... this is amazing, Seong. I love it."

 

"This is as much for you as it is for me," Seong admitted, "Honestly, I like the idea of you having something that smells like me. It's kinda like I'm with you."

 

"You mean marking your territory?"

 

"No! I'm not an animal, Dae." Despite the protest, he blushed.

 

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," they giggled, threading their arms through the sleeves of the hoodie. "Seriously, though, this is the best gift anyone's ever gotten me."

 

"You look great in my clothes, baby. It makes me want to kiss you even more."

 

It was Dae's turn to blush.  _ "사랑해, 성." _ (I love you, Seong.)

 

_ "나도 널 사랑해." _ (I love you too.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a little out of place as this is a story about Hayden and Mitchel's romance, but I really like writing Dae, and I think they deserve a chapter of their own - even if it's a small one.
> 
> However, the next actual chapter will be out soon, I swear! School is just sucking up all my time right now.
> 
> Keep an eye out, and thank you so much for reading! Don't forget to leave a kudos or even a comment if you enjoyed it!
> 
> Also references!!!  
> Dae's shirt [here](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/317996423682468334/)


	6. Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitchel decides it's time for him to cash in on the deal he and Hayden made at the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone,
> 
> I'm sorry this took so long to get out, but school has been kicking my ass these past couple of weeks, and I haven't had time to write. But it's here now and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> I also want to give you some information about Mitchel's siblings because they make/ have already made an appearance:
> 
> Allison - Oldest, age 22, Senior in college.  
> Devin - Older brother, age 20, Sophmore in college.  
> Mitchel - Middle child, age 18, High school Senior.  
> Caroline - Younger sister, age 16, High school Sophmore.  
> Peter - Youngest, age 14, 8th grader.

Veronica was fuming.

 

In all the years Veronica’s friends had known her, they'd never seen her so pissed off. She was steaming from the ears the moment she walked into school to find her peers decked out in the most insulting attire she'd ever seen.

 

Students swaggered down the halls dressed in cheap felt tunics cut into fringe at the hem, bright blue feathers strapped around their heads alongside dreamcatcher-shaped earrings that dangled just above the crook of their necks. Their faces were streaked red and plastic beads jingling around their wrists and feet.

 

_ Native American appreciation day my ass _ , Veronica thought.

 

As soon as she saw the event listed on the school website, she told everyone that if they dressed up, she would disown them. Fearing Veronica's wrath, Hayden chose to wear a simple sweater, one with cherry blossom trees littering the front, and a white beanie. He considered adding a choker, but he decided against it last minute. His jeans cut off at his ankles to expose a sliver of smooth pale skin and a pair of clean white Vans.

 

For everyone else, though, the threat hadn't been enough.

 

"Do you see this-?!" Veronica cried, jabbing her finger at the three boys running down the halls, howling like wolves with enormous brown and white-tipped fathers strapped to their heads like peacocks.

 

"Yes, Ronnie, we see it," Brooke sighed, taking a swig of her third coffee that morning.

 

"It's cultural appropriation!"

 

"Oh my God, we know!" Reese seethed, "You've told us six hundred times! What do you want us to do about it?"

 

"March down to the office and demand they take this stupid day off the calendar!"

 

"And you think they'll listen to us?" Brooke added, her voice as strained as her civility.

 

"We can at least try!"

 

Reese shot, “You’re beating a dead horse!”

 

Dae and Hayden sat in silence as the three friends bickered back and forth, taking slow sips of their drinks. They glanced at each other over the rims of their cups, wondering if they should interfere or wait for the argument to die on its own like it always did.

 

Fights like these weren't uncommon among the friends. With all of them as opinionated as they were, arguments were unavoidable. But no matter how bad it got, though, they always figured it out the end. They loved each other, and no stupid argument was ever going to change that - no matter how heated it might get.

 

"I think Ronnie's right," Dae said after a moment, setting their drink down with a soft clink, "I mean, I'd be pretty pissed if people showed up in hanboks and called them kimonos or something."

 

"Yeah," Hayden added, wringing his hands through the sleeves of his sweater, "I know I don't have it as bad as you guys, but I can't tell you how many times people have come up to me and screamed Mamma Mia! in my face.They don't even say that where my family's from!"

 

"Wait, people do that?" Dae asked.

 

Hayden scoffed, "You'd be surprised."

 

"See?" Veronica said, throwing her hands into the air, "they're on my side!"

 

"It's not that we don't agree with you, Ronnie," Reese sighed, "It's a shitty thing to do, and a shitty thing to have to deal with, but you're fighting a battle you can't win. The school's head is too far up their ass to give a shit about anything we say!"

 

"Then let's make them care then," she yelled.

 

"Easier said than done."

 

Veronica was about to retort, but her mouth snapped closed. Instead, she pushed her chair away from the table, thumping into the back wall before crossing her arms over her chest with a pout.

 

Just then, hands clamped down on Hayden's shoulders, making him jolt. He whipped around to find David standing over him, Mitchel and Aaron trailing behind him. They wore thick red bands across their foreheads, three brown-tipped feathers sticking out the side.

 

"Sup', nerds," David said, swinging into an empty seat, taking the group's lack of costume, "I see none of you are very festive today."

 

Reese groaned, "Don't even go there."

 

Mitchel watched as Veronica glared at them from across the room, her dark eyes sharper than daggers. He turned to Hayden, taking in the fresh scent of almost and buttermilk soap wafting off his neck as he whispered into his ear.

 

"What's up with Veronica?"

 

Hayden pointed to his head, not daring to look up at him. “Headdress.”

 

It took a few moments for Mitchel to register his words, but once he did, he ripped the insulting thing off his head in an instant. He elbowed for David and Aaron to follow, earning a few groans in response, but they tossed their headbands as well.

Veronica let out a sigh of relief.

 

"There's hope for people after all."

 

*

 

"Hey, Hayden?" Mitchel said a few minutes later, once Veronica rejoined them at their small table, "Can I talk to you out in the hallway?"

 

Hayden looked up at him. "Why?"

 

"I'll explain when we get out there," Mitchel said, motioning towards the door.

 

He glanced around at his friends, taking in the newfound warmth that filled the room. Reese, Brooke, Veronica, and Dae were enraptured in a conversation with David and Aaron, laughing at another one of David's horrible jokes.

 

It was strange watching them interact with people other than each other for once. They had friends from school activities and clubs, of course, but none of them had managed to worm their way into the tight-knit pack like how Aaron, David, and Mitchel had.

 

Despite their differences, the athletes fit in well with the band of misfits. David always had to new joke to share (whether or not it left them laughing or shaking their heads was the question) and Aaron was surprisingly poetic, spewing tales of life and love without even knowing it. Mitchel gave them a certain sense of security, somehow gluing them all together.

 

After a moment, Hayden looked back at Mitchel and nodded. They slid out into the hall as quietly as they could, but Reese and Brooke couldn't help but stare. They smirked at each other, pride swelling in their hearts.

 

Everything was going according to plan.

 

Students hurried by as Hayden and Mitchel made their way through the corridors, trying to find a quiet place to talk. They would stop every so often to smile at a fellow student or wave at a teacher, leaving Hayden a blushing mess.

 

How Mitchel did that every day, he didn't know. If it were him, he would avoid them like the plague and keep on walking, afraid of messing everything up. What if he called someone by the wrong name or smacked them in the face when he went to give them a high-five?

 

It was much too risky, in Hayden's humble opinion.

 

Eventually, they found themselves hidden away underneath an abandoned staircase, dust crawling up the walls and a single shattered light flickering on and off above them. It reeked of mold, and Hayden found it hard to ignore the mound of used tissues balled up in the corner.

 

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Hayden asked, breathing through his mouth.

 

Even in the darkness, Mitchel thought, Hayden looked stunning. The broken lights made his dark hair shine with faint streaks of gold and his brown eyes glimmer behind the frames of his glasses. Mitchel had to take a moment to collect himself as the sight of Hayden in a beanie somehow took his breath away.

 

"R-right, that," Mitchel chuckled, "I was hoping that I could cash in on that deal we made at the party on Monday?"

 

"The one about the... d-date?"

 

Mitchel couldn't see it (Thank God for that dim lighting) but Hayden's entire face went red.  _ Is he asking me out-?! _ He thought, his stomach filling with butterflies.

 

"Bingo!" Mitchel said, "I thought we could go to the aquarium after school. It's never busy on Wednesday, and they just got a new manta ray exhibit that I've wanted to check out-"

 

"Okay."

 

Mitchel froze.

 

"Wait... what did you say?"

 

Hayden giggled, "I said okay."

 

Mitchel had to resist pumping his fist into the air, a dazzling smile spreading across his face.

 

"What?" Hayden asked, "Did you think I'd say not?"

 

Mitchel bit his lip. "Maybe a little."

 

"Well," Hayden cooed, taking a small step forward to meet his gaze under hooded eyelids, "I'd love to spend the day with you."

 

He grinned, admiring the flirtation in Hayden's tone.

 

"Perfect."

 

*

 

Studies became a much more entertaining when Veronica learned Aaron had the same period off.

 

Before, she'd sit in the library, flipping through the pages of her history textbook until her eyes bled, wondering how many markers she could put together until they toppled over like she was back in first grade.

 

Thanks to Aaron, they'd gotten permission from Coach Harrison to use the gym whenever they wanted. They spent the extra forty minutes a day running laps around the track, racing each other and jumping hurdles until they were rolling on the floor, laughing so hard their stomachs ached.

 

Today, though, another class booked the gym, and they'd been banished to the library yet again.

 

They sat across the table from each other, Aaron struggling through his calculus homework while Veronica scrolled through Instagram. She stared at a photo of a couple shopping for homecoming dresses, the girls' smiles glittering brighter than the sequin on their gowns.

 

Veronica had forgotten all about Homecoming. She hadn't gone for the last three years - knowing nothing but tears and misery came out of it - but that was when she was a freshman, and things had changed. *She had changed.

 

She and her friends were seniors now, and their high school career was coming to an end. There was so much they hadn't done yet, like jump on a table and dance, or replace all photos in the teacher's lounge with pictures of Nicolas Cage! Before they knew it, they'd be suffering, sleep-deprived college students getting by on nothing but instant noodles.

 

Who knows, maybe they would go this year?

 

"Hey, Aaron?" Veronica mumbled, her hand covering half her mouth, "What do you think would happen if we put Hayden and Mitchel's names on the homecoming ballot?"

 

Aaron pencil snapped in his hands. He looked up at her, terror in his eyes.

 

"They'd kill us."

 

All Veronica could do was smirk as she swung her long legs over the chair and got to her feet, strutting over to the door. She pushed it open with the tip of her finger and peeked out from the hallway.

 

"I'm gonna do it."

 

"Veronica, no!" Aaron begged, scrambling to chase after her.

 

"Veronica, yes!"

 

By the time Aaron caught up with her, she was already at the office, signing Hayden and Mitchel's names across the ballot with a flick of her wrist.

 

Dusting off her hands, she chimed, "All done!"

 

Aaron ran a hand through his mess of coiled hair in horror, rubbing his pale green eyes as if he couldn't believe what he'd seen. "Holy shit, they're gonna kill us. Mitchel's gonna kill us!"

 

"Oh, relax," Veronica said, rolling her eyes, "What could go wrong? No one's going to vote for them, anyway."

 

Aaron stared at the ballot, his eyes trailing down the list of names against the wall, and they out a breath of relief. The pairs were all the more well-known, heterosexual couples in school.

With this kind of competition, he doubted anyone would even consider them. No one but him and his friends knew Hayden and Mitchel had feelings for each other, right? They weren't even dating yet!

There was no way they would win.

 

*

 

When Dae first tried the experiment, it’d failed, leaving Dae to frown at the clear glass vial. The second time, the mixture started to bubble but fizzled down before it could become anything more than murky blue water. They ripped off their goggles, slamming them down onto the table before glancing at the instructions to see what went wrong.

 

Who knew elephant toothpaste would be so hard to make?

 

Dae wished Veronica was in their class. She was a wizard with chemicals, the Hermione Granger of AP chemistry, and Dae new that with Veronica's smarts and their ability to speed through homework like the  _ Flash _ , they'd be swimming in A's!

 

Dae had to partner with Mitchel, instead. Mitchel wasn't the worst person to get stuck with, they had to admit. He did his work with efficiency and with little complaint. Most days, he was enthusiastic about new assignments, strolling into the classroom all sunshine and rainbows.

 

Today, though, something was off.

 

Today, Mitchel stared off into the distance through the window as Dae struggled to gather the ingredients to restart the experiment. They watched him in fascination, studying the way he sighed and rested his chin on his fist, focusing on everything yet nothing at all.

 

Dae had seen that look once before...

 

On Hayden when he looked at Mitchel.

 

Without thinking, Dae whipped out their phone and snapped a picture. The best camera in the world couldn't capture how truly lost Mitchel looked, but Dae's mediocre phone would have to do. They didn't even bother to pick a filter before typing a quick caption and sending it off into the world.

 

_ This, _ the caption read,  _ is what a man in love looks like. _

 

It was then Mitchel looked up at them.

 

"What was that for?" he asked.

 

"Nothing," Dae said as they settled their attention back on the failed experiment, pushing the supplies towards Mitchel. "Here, you're better at this stuff than me."

 

Mitchel took them without a word. He slapped on a pair of goggles and picked up a vial, emptying half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the container, along with a teaspoon of dish soap. In a different bowl, he mixed a small packet of yeast into a bit of water before pouring them together and watching the mixture begin to bubble.

 

As a final touch, Dae added a drop of blue food coloring.

 

Long tubes of a light blue toothpaste-like substance shot out of the vial, oozing onto the table and making Dae yelp. They watched in awe as it toppled onto the floor, but Mitchel remained stone-faced, lost in the rustling pine trees outside.

Dae sighed, "Jesus, you're hopeless."

 

Mitchel turned to them.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Come on, can't you see yourself? You have hearts in your eyes!" They said before leaning forward on their elbows and smirking. "Now, I want to know what your intentions are with my precious child."

 

"Your son?" Mitchel laughed.

 

"Yes, my son!" Dae shot, "Now spill, loverboy."

 

For once in his life, Mitchel was at a loss for words. How was he supposed to explain his feelings for Hayden when he didn't even know what they were? Mitchel cared about him, more than he'd ever cared about anything, and his brain turned to mush whenever he looked up at him with those big brown doe eyes that made his heart melt.

 

He often found himself wondering about Hayden. About how Hayden liked his toast when he made breakfast in the morning, or if he tossed and turned in his sleep like Mitchel. He wondered if Hayden wanted a house with a fireplace, or what he looked like fresh out of the shower.

 

"I want to know everything about him. I want to make him laugh so hard milk comes out of his nose, and speak his language, and hold him when he cries, and-"

 

"Alright, Lovell," Dae interrupted, "you have my blessing... under one condition. I get to plan the wedding."

 

Mitchel laughed, "When the time comes, it's all yours. I want to ask you a few questions first, though."

 

"Shoot," Dae said.

 

"You know how Brooke had to borrow your car to bring Hayden home during the bonfire?"

 

They hummed. "Yeah, I remember. So?"

 

"Well, in the car, Brooke told me that the world put you all and Hayden together for a reason. She said that someone tried to hurt him once." Mitchel looked up at them, his expression riddled with sorrow. "What was she talking about, Dae?"

 

Dae froze. They knew they shouldn't say, it wasn't their story to tell, but they trusted Mitchel. He would never try to harm Hayden. Not on purpose, at least. They could see it in his eye, how they swelled with love and longing for their friend.

Dae bit their lip. "When you dropped Hayden off, did you meet his parents?"

 

"Briefly," Mitchel said, "but I knew them when we were kids."

 

"The Argento's are the most generous people you'll ever meet. They treat us like we're their own. Y'know, sometimes I wonder if there are kinder people out there, especially when it comes to Hayden's father. That man is happiness on legs."

Dae let out a soft chuckled before their face fell.

 

"Hayden's family is... complicated. It's the size of our entire class combined, and his mother's side and his father's side are complete opposites. Let's just say Hayden wasn't afraid to come out to his parents. I mean, they'd be so supportive of Casper's transition, why wouldn't they be cool with him being gay?"

 

Hayden had nothing to fear. His mother gathered him in her arms the moment those two little, life-changing words left his lips, and his father's eyes went wide with pride. The next day, Hayden skipped into the school ten pounds lighter, the weight of the secret no longer holding him down.

 

"His parents made a Facebook post a few hours later saying how happy they were that their son trusted them enough to come out," Dae continued, their face dropping, "His mom's family had the same response, but his father's..."

 

"Had a different idea," Mitchel finished.

 

"Exactly," they said, "Can you imagine the guilt he feels-?! They practically kicked him out of the family! All of this because he's a little different."

 

"They don't deserve him," Mitchel seethed.

 

"We tell him that every day, but he doesn't believe us. Deep down, he's always going to hate himself for it. Don't worry though-" they patted him on the shoulder- "things are getting better. He has us."

 

_ Us _

 

The word echoed through his head like a bullet. Did that mean him too? Was he now apart of the "us" he so desperately wanted to include him?

 

"He's happier now because of you," Dae added, "It may not be obvious, but he stands a little bit taller when you're around. I know my friend's and I aren't always the most welcoming people, especially when it comes to our little clique, but we're glad to have you on our side."

 

Mitchel smiled.

 

"There was no place I'd rather be."

 

*

 

Hayden had never felt so out of place. Among all the tall, muscled soccer players passing a ball back and forth across the field, Hayden was a worm; small, scrawny,  _ unworthy _ . Every single one of them could squish him with their bare hands if they wanted to!

 

Squirming in the cold bleachers, Hayden debated between watching the game or scrolling through his phone.

 

On one hand, Mitchel was on the field, dressed in a tight red soccer uniform that clung to his muscles, his skin glistening with beads of sweat as he dashed across the grass like a lion on the prowl.

 

Hayden long ago gave up on his homework, the perfect view of his crush from the bleaches making doing anything even somewhat productive impossible.

 

On the other hand, Hayden wanted to see what people thought of his latest painting. Over the course of two years, he managed to collect around five thousand followers on Tumblr, all of them more or less foaming at the mouth whenever he posted anything new. Hayden couldn't figure out why for the life of him. There was a million other artist better than him, yet his followers remained loyal.

 

He chose Tumblr in the end, scrolling through the dozens of messages filling up his inbox. He did sneak a few glances at the game every once and a while, though, meeting Mitchel's eyes with a warm smile and soft blush every time.

 

He was about to get up to use the bathroom when his phone vibrated beside him. It was Brooke.

 

_ Brooke: So how's the game??? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) _

 

_ Hayden: Is the Lenny really necessary? _

 

_ Brooke: Hell yeah it is! Now tell me about the game, you piece of pastel gay shit! _

 

Hayden tapped on his camera, turning it to face the field. He played it off like he was taking a selfie, sticking out his tongue and putting up at peace sigh, but he actually took a picture of Mitchel, sending it to Brooke without hesitation.

 

Hayden:  _ It's terrible! He's so hoott!! Is it even legal for someone to look that good after working out? _

 

_ Brooke: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) _

 

_ Brooke: If I wasn't a lesbian, I'd hit that. _

 

_ Brooke: Get it boi. _

 

_ Hayden: No one's getting anything! _

 

_ Brooke: Not with that attitude ;) _

 

_ Hayden: You saw him right? He's 20,000 meters out of my league! _

 

_ Brooke: Shut up, honey, you're a snack! _

 

_ Hayden: Yeah, whatever you say. _

 

_ Hayden: Oof, I gtg. The game's over. _

 

Back on the field, the players sat on the grass, stretching their worn, aching bodies. Their muscled burned and their shoes dug into the heels of their feet, but after a nice hot shower, they'd be back in top shape.

Mitchel grabbed his water bottle out of his backpack, ready to head to the locker room to change when his coach's voice rang out throughout the school.

 

"Lovell!" Coach Harrison called, "Get your ass over here."

 

At first glance, Harrison wasn't anything like how you'd expect a soccer coach to look. She had a petite frame and must've been at least three feet shorter than Mitchel, but you could see the faint outline of muscles through her shirt. Her dark skin and curly hair made her seem soft, but on the inside, she was as hard as a rock.

 

"What's up, coach?" Mitchel asked, jogging up to her.

 

"Good hustle out there today. You're on the top of your game." She wiggled her eyebrows. "It wouldn't have anything to do with a particular theater boy sitting in the stands over there, would it?"

 

Mitchel's face turned red. "Y-yeah, a little."

 

"Argento's a good kid. He did ballet with my daughter, you know? He was the only boy, but he didn't seem to mind." She laughed, "He was pretty damn good too. One of the best, I think."

 

Mitchel raised an eyebrow. Hayden?  _ A dancer? _ Hayden wasn't overweight or anything, but he didn't have the physique of a ballerina, either. The image of him prancing around in a tutu popped into Mitchel's mind, and he struggled not to laugh.

 

Coach Harrison crossed her arms. "What's so funny?"

 

"Nothing! Nothing!" Mitchel assured, "I just... never pictured Hayden as an athlete, you know?"

 

"You learn something new every day," she said before patting him on the back. "Now go shower. You smell like a teenage boy, and you can't go on a date like that."

 

"I-it's not a date!" Mitchel wanted to protest, but he stopped himself.

 

This was a date.

 

A date with Hayden Argento!

 

Once the reality set in, Mitchel couldn't contain the yelp of joy that escaped him. He still couldn't believe Hayden agreed to go on a date with him!He expected him to laugh in his face, but thinking back, Hayden was too sweet to turn him down like that. Hayden would've just walked away and never spoken to him again.

 

With a smile, Mitchel headed to the locker room.

 

*

 

When Mitchel stepped out of the locker room, his hair dripping wet and his duffle bag thrown over his shoulder, he expected to find Hayden waiting for him.

 

Instead, he got Luca Dean.

 

"What do you want, Luca?" Mitchel groaned, running a hand through his damp hair.

 

Luca grinned. Detaching himself from the wall, he began to crack his knuckles one by one - the loud, staccato snap making Mitchel twitch. He took a step forward until they were only a few feet away.

 

"Nothing much," Luca said, "I just wanted to know what you were doing interrupting me and Hayden's little... chat yesterday?"

 

"Chat?" Mitchel scoffed, "If that's why you think talking looks like, you're dumber than I thought you were. You would've beaten the shit out of him if I hadn't come and kicked your sorry ass."

 

"I wouldn't have needed to hurt him if he just cooperated with me!"

 

"You wouldn't have needed to hurt him if you didn't harass him in the first place!"

 

Before Mitchel could think, Luca swung at him. He hit him square in the jaw, and within seconds, they were on each other, growling like rabid dogs. Mitchel pinned Luca to the wall, ramming his knee into his gut before Luca spat on him, saliva slithering down his cheek. In that moment of vulnerability, Luca punched him hard in the eye, making Mitchel swagger backward on the heels of his cleats.

 

Mitchel was about to get his revenge when something suddenly caught his fist. He whipped around find Aaron holding him down with a shaking hand. Across the room, David had Luca's wrists twisted behind his back.

 

Hayden stood in the middle of it, his eyes burning red.

 

He looked back and forth between the two boys before setting his sights on Luca and stomping over to him. The shiver that ran through Luca's body as he came face-to-face with Hayden's sharper-than-a-knife glare could've shaken the earth.

 

"Aren't you bored of this already?" Hayden sighed, his rage fizzling into annoyance. "I'm so done with you and your bullshit, Luca. You're not even worth the anger. You're an asshole, and I'm not going to take your shit anymore. No one is.

 

"You think you're all that, but breaking news, you're not! Do you want to know why I won't go out with you - why no one will  _ ever _ go out with you? It's because you think you own me! You think you own everything! The truth is, though, you're not worth the dirt you walk on."

 

Hayden scoffed. "I never want to see your face again. Not for as long as I live. Don't ever talked to me, don't ever look at me, don't ever  _ think _ of me again. You don't matter to me, Luca, and you never will."

 

"Yeah, and who's gonna stop me? This guy?" Luca sneered, nodding towards Mitchel. "In case you haven't noticed, I almost beat him to a bloody pulp."

 

David tightened his grip on Luca's arms, making him yelp.

 

"I'll stop you. Me and every other student you've tortured." Hayden added, "You can kiss your pretty little scholarship goodbye. No school is gonna want you when they find out you harassed more than a dozen fucking students!"

 

"No one's gonna believe you."

 

"Once I speak out against you, the rest of your victims will follow. That's how these things work. You should've thought about that, huh?"

 

Luca was silent.

 

"Glad we're on the same page. Now get out. _ " _

 

When David let him go, Luca  _ bolted, _ his face burning bright red with tears streaming down his chin. He ran so fast down the hall they could see dust trails behind him.

 

Aaron released Mitchel a moment later, giving him a small nod of apology, but Mitchel didn't notice. He was too busy staring at Hayden, his eyes blown wide and his mouth hanging open.

 

"H-Hayden, I-"

 

"Don't say anything, Mitchel," Hayden told him, refusing to meet his eyes as he stormed past him. "Just come on."

 

Mitchel followed him like a dog, his tail between his legs.

 

"W-where are we going?"

 

"Your house," Hayden said, "Those wounds aren't gonna ice themselves."

 

*

 

Hayden didn't have time to look around Mitchel's house before he was pushing Mitchel down onto the couch, plopping down beside him, and examining his face. Mitchel's eye was swollen and puffy - no doubt there would be a bruise tomorrow - and his lip was bleeding enough that when Hayden touched it, his fingertip came back red. He could see the indent of Aaron's nails on his wrist, and his shirt was wrinkled where Luca had grabbed.

 

"Where do you keep your ice packs?" Hayden asked, lifting himself off the couch.

 

"Freezer. On the right next to the ice trays."

 

Hayden rushed to the kitchen to retrieve them. He felt a little strange going through someone's home like that, but he didn't care. Mitchel was in no state to take care of himself - thought Hayden debated letting him. After what he'd done, Mitchel needed a little punishment.

 

Less than a minute later, Hayden returned with a duck-shaped ice pack wrapped in a thin layer of paper towel and placed it over his eye, careful not to no poke him as he did.

 

"I don't think I need-"

 

"Don't argue with me, Mitchel," Hayden said, and Mitchel snapped his mouth closed.

 

They sat there for what felt like hours, Hayden holding an ice-pack over Mitchel's eye while the clocked ticked in the background. Hayden took a moment to look around, taking in how  _ big _ Mitchel's house was.

 

It was a dark blue, two-story colonial with a basement and a garage large enough to fit three cars. The inside was much less impressive, though. If Hayden could describe it in two words, it would've been  _ chaotic good. _ The couches and chairs were all in the same shade of off-white, and the coffee table had chips in its top from years of wear and tear. Trinkets - including a wooden box full of different colored dreidels on the shelf above the T.V - covered every surface, making the place look messier than it was.

 

Despite the clutter, it was a charming house, and its comfortable aura made Hayden feel a bit more at home.

 

"I'm sorry," Mitchel said.

 

"For what?" Hayden asked, though he knew the answer.

 

"For meddling in your business. I know I should've stayed out of it, but it's so hard when Luca's such an asshole!"

 

Hayden sighed.

 

"I get you're trying to help me, Mitchel, but Luca's not your problem, he's mine. Or he  _ was _ my problem, but you dragged yourself into this.”

 

Mitchel chucked, "Yeah, I guess I have."

 

A beat passed, and Mitchel gaze remained glued to Hayden, almost as if he was waiting for something.

 

"If you're waiting for me to say it's okay, you’ll be here a while," Hayden said.

 

"No, I know that!" He assured him, "I just... I couldn't sit there and do nothing while he was hurting you, Hayden!"

 

"Look at me, Mitchel. I'm  _ fine! _ No bloody nose, no black eye, no broken bones, okay?"

 

Mitchel looked at him -  _ really _ looked at him - and found that his eyes no longer sparkled and his cheeks no longer had that rosy-pink flush Mitchel loved so much. All he saw was sadness, buried deep behind layers of fear, waiting to burst.

Underneath it all, though, he was still beautiful.

 

"I do see you, Hayden, and what I see is pain. Maybe not on the outside, but here" Mitchel placed his hand over his heart, "you're hurting."

 

"Mitchel..."

 

"I can't protect you from yourself. No matter what I do, you'll always be the one enemy I can't defeat, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying. Dae told me about your family, how they abandoned you, but I'm not like them, Hayden. I'll always take care of you, even it means getting hurt."

 

There was a moment of silence, nothing but the rustling wind and the clock filling the empty air when Hayden suddenly burst into tears.

 

"I don't want you to get hurt!" He sobbed, choking on every word. "I'm tired of being everyone's burden. Why can't they see that? I can deal with my problems. I can heal myself. Want to take care of me, Mitchel? Let me handle things on my own for once!"

 

"Hayden, I..."

 

"It's fine," Hayden sighed, crossing his arms and bringing his legs up to his chest to hide his face. "Just drop it, okay?

 

Mitchel opened his mouth to protest but closed it.

 

"Alright."

 

Neither of them spoke for a long moment, relishing in the quiet until Hayden noticed Mitchel began to bounce his leg up and down. He untangled himself from the ball he'd folded himself into, scanning the expanse of the room.

 

"So what now?"

 

"I'm not sure," Mitchel said, searching around before his eyes fell on two controllers resting on the coffee table, "We could play Overwatch?"

 

"I won't be any good. I've never played it before."

 

"Really?"

 

"Video games aren't my thing."

 

"That's cool. I could teach you if you want?" Mitchel held out the controller, and Hayden accepted it, if not a little hesitant. Mitchel took his hands and adjusted his grip, placing his thumbs over the joysticks and resting his pointer fingers on two smooth buttons in the back.

 

Mitchel slid off the couch to kneel in front of the T.V, flipping it on and starting up his PS4. He logged into his account, and music burst from the speaks, making Hayden jump. They were greeted by a smiling girl with short, slicked back brown hair dressed in a tight orange catsuit, matching goggles secure around her head.

 

"Who's that?" Hayden asked.

 

"Her name's Tracer," Mitchel told him, "She's kinda the face of the game, ya know?"

 

"I like her."

 

"Don't get your hopes up. Tracer's difficult for a beginner to play, so we'll start you off with someone easier, okay?"

 

Mitchel switched the screen to reveal a line-up of different characters, all sporting a weapon and colorful full-body armor. Hayden scanned them until one caught his eye.

"What about her?" Hayden pointed at a chubby, brown-haired girl in bright blue clothing. She reminded him of a doll, and her sweet face made her seem like a safe choice.

Mitchel stared at him.

 

"No."

 

"Why-"

 

"You're not playing Mei!"

 

"What's wrong with her?"

 

Mitchel sighed. "Nothing, I guess. She's just annoying. Besides, she'll be too hard for you, like Tracer. Maybe we should start you off with a healer?"

 

He grabbed the controller, leading Hayden to hover over another woman, this one with white-blonde hair and a golden halo around her head. She had what looked like angel wings strapped onto her back, and her suit was all white.

 

"Mercy is a good one. She's support, so all you have to do is wait until the people on your team take damage and heal them. She has something to defend herself with, too."

 

"But I like Mei!"

 

"Trust me, Hayden, no one likes Mei."

 

"Mitchel! What did we just talk about?" Hayden grumbled, "Let me figure this out for myself."

 

Mitchel sighed, handing over the controller. "Okay, but you're gonna regret it. You're one of the biggest targets."

 

"I think I can handle it."

 

Forty minutes later, however, and Hayden was beginning to eat his words. So far, he died four times, froze six of his team-mates, and kept pressing the pause button by accident.

 

Mitchel couldn't help but find how Hayden yelped every time a blaster pointed towards him endearing. Watching him focus on the screen, his eyebrows drawn together and his glasses sliding down his nose was a treat better than any strawberry milkshake.

 

"Mitchel, help!" Hayden cried, "there are people chasing me! Shit, shit, shit."

 

Hayden looked up at him for a moment, his dark eyes wide with distress, and before Mitchel could think, he leaned down and kissed him.

 

It was just a peck, really - short and chaste. It took a moment for Hayden to realize what happened, but the moment he did, his face started to burn. His face was red from the tip of his nose down to his neck, and he heard himself gasp. Then the heat was gone.

 

Mitchel looked like he hit him with a truck.

 

"Hayden, I... uh-"

 

"It's okay, Mitchel, you don't-"

 

Just then, the controller buzzed in his hands, reminding them the game was still going and Hayden was dead.

 

"We should, um..." Mitchel began.

 

"I-I don't think I want to play anymore," Hayden said, placing the controller down on the table.

 

"That's fine! Totally. W-we can do homework instead!"

 

"No, I- uh... I want to watch you play."

 

Is it hot in here? Mitchel thought as he switched on his controller, watching it flash bright blue.

 

"O-okay. If that's what you want."

 

Hayden didn't say anything, just nodded and turned his attention back to the T.V as Mitchel chose his character - a man with a shaggy brown beard and a glare that made Hayden squirm in his seat - and joined a new game.

 

*

 

It could've been more than an hour later when the front door swung open, and a woman with short, curly red hair stepped into the house. She wore a thick jacket and a wool scarf wrapped around her neck like a snake.

 

"Kids, I'm home!" Mrs. Lovell said, shedding her layers and hanging them up in the closet. She made her way into the living room, jumping when she spotted Mitchel on the couch.

 

"Sorry, sweetie, I didn't notice you," She laughed, kissing him on the head. "I didn't think you'd be home until later. Weren't you taking Hayden out to-"

 

That's when she saw him.

 

"Oh my, Hayden, it's been so long I didn't even recognize you! Come over here so I can get a good look at you."

 

Hayden scooted closer to her, wringing his hands in the sleeves of his sweater as Mrs. Lovell looked him over, studying every cell in his body with a warm smile.

 

"Still as handsome as ever."

 

Hayden blushed. "Oh, t-thank you, Mrs. Lovell."

 

She smiled at him once more before turning to her son. Her ice-cold glare made Mitchel freeze. If his mother noticed the cut on his lip and the faint bruise under his eye, she didn't say anything.

 

"Did you invite him over for dinner?" She asked in that feather-light voice that made Mitchel tremble.

 

He shook his head.

 

"Why not? You should stay, Hayden," She told the other boy, "I'm making my famous lasagna! Two kinds of cheese and lots of butter. Oh, is Peter home yet?"

 

Peter, Hayden reminded himself, was Mitchel's younger brother.

 

"I think he's still at dance practice," Mitchel said, "Probably won't be home till' later."

 

"Oh, well, I'll just have to keep his plate warm in the microwave." She started to ramble - something about Mitchel's father and pink socks - as she made her way into the kitchen, leaving the boys to suffer in silence.

 

Mitchel's mind was racing. He hadn't thought about how Hayden would react to his lovey-dovey, overly affectionate family. Would Hayden even want to stay or dinner? He was about to apologize, but to Mitchel's surprise, Hayden laughed.

 

"Your mom hasn't changed at all, huh?"

 

He let out a breath of relief. "Nope. Not at all."

 

Just then, a pair of feet came stomping down the stairs, revealing a girl with long, orange french braids hidden under a pair of emerald green headphones. Hayden recognized her as Mitchel's little sister, Caroline, a freshman in their high school. He often saw Mitchel following her through the halls, pestering her the way only an older brother could.

 

"Hey, Bean," Mitchel said, nodding to his sister as she followed her mother into the kitchen.

 

"Don't call me that," Caroline said, poking her out from the doorway with a scowl, but it faded when she noticed Hayden. "Hey, you're that drama kid, right? The one everyone started the petition for?"

 

Hayden froze.

 

"Who did _what now?"_

 

"A whole bunch of kids sighed a petitioned to get Mr. Picard to let you play Belle this year," she explained. "They say it's cause' they wanted more "diversity" in school productions, but he wasn't into it. Did no one tell you about it?"

 

Hayden blinked, staring into space for a moment before flopping back against the couch and sighing, "Of course they did! What else would Brooke and Reese do with their time?"

 

"I kinda wish it worked." Caroline shrugged. "You'd make a great Belle."

 

"You think?"

 

"I mean, you're just like her, smart and pretty. You even look like her. Not to mention your voice is high enough to hit her notes, and that's impressive for a senior guy."

 

"Uh, Caroline? How do you know all this?" Mitchel asked.

 

"I observed a rehearsal, remember? For my playwriting class? I was there for auditions." She looked over at Hayden, whispering, "Great song choice, by the way. Your rendition of Kindergarten Boyfriend had me shook."

 

"Oh, thank you!" Hayden gleamed. "Wait... is that why I got cast as Lefou-!? Cause' Mr. Picard's mad at everyone for making decisions for him?"

 

"Probably."

 

Hayden's phone buzzed then, vibrating in the familiar rhythm of a heartbeat. He glanced down at it, staring at the name lit up in bold, black letters.

 

"Hey, I've gotta take this. It's my mom," Hayden said, before sliding out of the room into the hallway between the kitchen and the bathroom.

 

Once they were sure he was gone, Caroline turned to him.

 

"He's way out of your league, bro."

 

Mitchel sighed, "Yeah, I know."

 

"How did you manage to snatch him?"

 

"I haven't... yet."

 

A moment later, Hayden returned with his backpack swung over his shoulder and his beanie askew on his head.

 

"I'm sorry to do this, but I've gotta go. Mother's orders," Hayden said.

 

"No worries," Mitchel assured him, "Let me walk you home."

 

"I'm good-"

 

"It's dark out," Mitchel protested.

 

"It's five o'clock."

 

"You don't know where you're going."

 

"Yes, I do."

 

"Okay, this is silly," Mitchel laughed, "but can I please go with you? It makes me feel better."

 

Hayden rolled his eyes. "I'm a big boy, Mitchel. I can walk home by myself."

 

"How about to the door then?"

 

"Fine. You can walk me to the door."

 

*

 

Mitchel watched him go from his third-floor bedroom window, waiting for Hayden to turn the corner before launching himself onto his bed and staring up at the ceiling.

 

I kissed him! Mitchel thought, a smile spreading across his face before the corners flipped, I also completely fucked up!

 

The guilt was eating him alive, churning in his stomach like a taffy, making him sick. He should've asked before he kissed him. He didn't know if Hayden like him or not!

 

He needed to talk to someone, but before he could reach for his phone, he heard a knock at his door.

 

"Come in!"

 

Caroline pushed the door open, peaking in before smirking. She had taken her braids out, leaving her hair a tangled mess, and exchanged her olive bomber-jacket for a soft cardigan.

 

"Dinner's ready," She said, taking a seat at the edge of the bed.

 

"I'll be down in a minute," Mitchel groaned, rolling over to face the wall.

 

"What's wrong?"

 

He shrugged. "Nothing."

 

"Don't lie to me, Mitch. Is it about Hayden?"

 

"Yeah, it is." He pouted, sitting up in his bed to face his sister. "I kissed him."

 

"That's awesome! She squealed. "Why are you upset?"

 

"No, it's not awesome, Caroline! I didn't ask before kissing him!"

 

She cocked her head. "You're supposed to?"

 

"With Hayden you are."

 

"Well, did he kiss you back?"

 

Mitchel thought for a moment, but all he remembered was the wave of guilt that crashed over him the second their lips connected. There had been a moment of pleasure, though. The weight of Hayden's mouth against his was like sitting by a fire after a harsh winter storm, warming him to his core.

 

"I... I don't remember," Mitchel sighed.

 

"So what are you gonna do about it?"

 

He looked at her. "What do you mean?"

 

"It's eating you up, and it's not gonna stop until you talk to him about it," She said. "Are you going to ask him out?"

 

"I did!" Mitchel shot, "We were planning to go to out after school, but something... came up."

 

"Is that why you look like someone beat you up?" She gasped, "Did Hayden do this to you-?!"

 

"No! No way! Hayden would never do something like that. There are just some people who don't like the idea of us together."

 

She stared at him.

 

"I'll kill them."

 

"Caroline!"

 

"I'm serious! I may hate everything about you, but I'm the only one allowed to beat you up."

 

Mitchel smiled. "Thanks, Bean."

 

"Don't call me that." Caroline laughed, nudging his arm. "Now come on, let's eat."

 

The siblings got up from the bed and made their way down to the dining room, welcomed by the rest of Mitchel's family. For a moment, Mitchel let go of his worries. So what if he made a mistake today? He's only human.

 

If Hayden truly cared for him, he would forgive him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I know this is a little long and I didn't edit it too much cause' I wanted to get this out asap. If you see any mistakes please tell me!
> 
> As always, if you like my work and want to see more, leave a kudos! And comments are always appreciated!
> 
> Also, come follow me on Tumblr [here!](http://adorkable-hedgehog.tumblr.com)
> 
> Some references:
> 
> [Hayden's sweater](https://www.google.com/search?q=cherry+blossom+sweater&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS749US749&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjtht6ExL_ZAhXywVkKHZvMA68Q_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=984#imgrc=x4ZomrdK7v73qM:)
> 
> [Hayden's beanie](https://www.google.com/search?q=cat+ear+beanie+white&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS749US749&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiWo5f-4PTZAhVqUN8KHQxBBY4Q_AUICygC&biw=1920&bih=984#imgrc=goltrQ4gwKogrM:)


	7. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's high school without a few rebellious teenagers?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse as to why this took me two months to finish, but it's here now, so enjoy!
> 
> Trust me, this chapter will rot your teeth, it's so sweet.
> 
> ...Well, most of it.
> 
> The song at the start is "There, Right There," from Legally Blonde the Musical (the only good song to come out of that whole production, in my opinion.) This scene came to me in a dream, and I wrote it at 2 a.m. If there are any typos, take it easy on me.
> 
> Find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-mooING0ak

Mitchel woke up to the sun shining in his eyes and a strange weight at the foot of his bed. He shot up to find a slobbery tongue licking the side of his face, leaving a trail of slobber from his cheek to his temple. Reaching out, he tangled his fingers in the soft fur of his favorite doggo in the world, Sherbert.

 

Sherbert was big for her breed with perky ears and a fluffy, curly tail. She had a full coat of shiny, amber fur, and stood an inch above Mitchel's knee. As she laid her head on Mitchel's leg, he wished Hayden was able to meet her, but she'd been at the groomers all day. It was a shame. She would've loved him.

 

Patting her head, Mitchel leaned over to unplug his phone from the charger. He unlocked the screen with the swipe of his finger, finding dozens of missed notifications, all from an unknown number.

 

_ Unknown Number: Hey, guys, this is Reese. Can any of you help set up for the dance tomorrow? I know you all have a study. _

 

_ Unknown Number 2: Sorry, hun, can’t. _

 

_ Unknown Number: Bullshit. You and I both know you have nothing better to do. _

 

_ Mitchel snickered as he read, taking a moment to change the contact information. _

 

_ Brooke: Why are you so mean?? ;-; I’m an innocent baby. _

 

_ Reese: Do you even know what innocent means? _

 

_ Dae: It means not Brooke. _

 

_ Brooke: So cruel!!! _

 

_ Dae: We’re only telling the truth ;) _

 

_ Brooke: :0 _

_ Brooke: Fine. I’ll do it. But only out of spite! _

 

_ Meme Lord: I’m in. Better than sitting in Mr. Rory’s class for half an hour. _

 

Mitchel scrolled through the chat, laughing at the dozens of memes David - or  _ Meme Lord _ , as he liked to call him - sent them last night. It was a little-known fact that David's camera roll consisted of two things: memes and embarrassing pictures of his friends, most of which featured Mitchel making horrific faces. Cringing at the thought, Mitchel switched to Snapchat. He clicked through the stories, and other than a few people trying to start streaks with him, he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary until he came to Dae.

 

_ Check your fucking email _ the snap said, written in bright blue letters beside a picture of Dae with a pair of bunny ears and nose drawn on their face.

 

Mitchel tapped into his Gmail without even thinking, spotting a message from Dae with nothing but a winky face and a video attachment. He weighed whether or not he should open it, but after a moment, he pressed play.

 

The video started with a shot of a bedroom. Mitchel recognized it as Hayden's, the floors invisible under mountains of clothes and papers, and the walls painted dark blue. Dae appeared in front of the camera, a wide grin on their face.

 

Behind them, Brooke, Casper, Reese, and Veronica shuffled into the frame. They positioned themselves around the room as if they were in a music video, Brooke and Veronica standing back-to-back on the bed, and Reese leaning against the windowsill with one hand splayed on the wall. Casper sat with his legs crossed on the floor while Dae took the desk chair, all of them facing away from the door.

 

The video must've been old, Mitchel thought. Brooke still had her white-blonde hair instead of the bright pink she had now, and Dae wore a pair of round-framed, glasses. Freshmen year, maybe?

 

Suddenly, the door in the video swung open, and Hayden appeared in the doorway. He stared at his friends in confusion, his eyes blown wide and his feet frozen to the ground.

 

_ "There! Right there!" _ Brooke sang, whipping around and jabbing her finger in Hayden's direction,  _ "Look at that tan, that tinted skin. Look at the killer shape he's in. Look at that slightly stubbly chin. Oh, please, he's gay, totally gay!" _

 

Moving to stand beside Brooke, Reese chimed in,  _ "I'm not about to celebrate, every trait could indicate the totally straight expatriate. This guy's not gay, I say not gay!" _

 

They all hopped into the floor, lining up side-by-side. _ "That is the elephant in the room. Well, is it relevant to assume that a man who wears perfume is automatically-matically fay?" _

 

_ “But look at his quoft and crispy locks!" _ Reese sang.

 

_ "Look at his silk translucent socks!" _ Brooke shot back.

 

_ "It's the eternal paradox. Look what we're seeing!" _

 

_ "What are we seeing?" _

 

_ "Is he gay-” _

 

_ “Of course he’s gay!” _

 

_ “-or European?" _

 

They all tilted their heads, letting out a long,  _ "Oh." _

 

Together, they sang, _ "Is he gay or European? It's hard to guarantee. Is he gay or European?" _

 

Casper added,  _ "Well, hey, don't look at me!" _

 

_ "You see, they bring their boys up different in those charming foreign ports," _ Veronica rang out, marching in place,  _ "They play peculiar sports in shiny shirts and tiny shorts!" _

 

_ "Gay or foreign fella? I still can't crack the code. They both say things like 'Ciao, Bella!' while they kiss you on both cheeks! Gay or European? So many shades of gray!" _ They harmonized, shuffling closer and closer to Hayden until they were standing right in front of him.

 

Hayden held his hands in front of his face, no doubt hiding a rosy blush.

 

The friends continued to sing until they found themselves gathered on the bed, bundled together in one warm pile. As the last note rang out, Hayden sprang into the air, flopping onto the bed and tackling them with a hug. He had tears streaming down his cheeks as they wrapped their arms around him, wishing him a happy 16th birthday.

 

The video ended there, cutting off and leaving the screen blank. Mitchel found himself smiling. He thought back to the way Hayden's eyes lit up as his friends paraded around his room; dancing, singing, and laughing like the world would never end.

 

Was that all it took to make Hayden happy? A silly song and a group hug?

 

What was he missing?

 

Mitchel didn't have time to ponder as his second alarm sprang to life,  blaring into his ear. He groaned, flopping back down on his pillow for a moment before his body finally caught up with his mind and forced his feet onto the floor.

 

He padded into the kitchen, finding his family already gathered at the dining table, eating and finishing up last night's homework. His mother sat at the head of the table, scrolling through her phone and sipping from an enormous cup of coffee. He rolled into his seat between Caroline and his little brother, Peter, and drizzled syrup over his plate, taking a big bite of strawberry pancakes.

 

His father came into the room a moment later, bearing a glistening police badge and a bright smile.

 

"Morning, kiddos," Mr. Lovell said, claiming his usual spot at the table. He rejected Mrs. Lovell's offer of coffee, claiming the bitter taste would ruin his good mood.

 

"Dad, don't call us kids anymore!" Caroline grumbled, tapping her fingers against the wood. Unlike Mitchel, she hadn't inherited their father's early-bird trait.

 

Mr. Lovell smiled. "You'll always be kids to me. You're my babies."

 

"I think it's fine," Peter chimed in, shrugging.

 

"Easy to say," Caroline said, "you  _ are _ still a kid!"

 

"I'm fourteen!"

 

She smirked. "Point proven."

 

"That's enough," Mrs. Lovell cut in, glaring at her children before turning to Mitchel. "Did Hayden have a nice time yesterday? I still can't believe chubby little Hayden turned into  _ that! _ Time was good to him, don't you think, honey?"

 

It took every inch of Mitchel's self-control not to cringe.  _ Did _ Hayden have a good day yesterday? He didn't know! The rest of the day was numbed of all emotion thanks to that awful kiss.

 

_ God, he fucked up. _

 

"He's cute, that's for sure," Caroline answered for him with a sigh, leaning forward on her elbows.

 

"He's too old for you," Mr. Lovell snarled.

 

Mitchel laughed, "He doesn't exactly swing that way, Dad."

 

His father cocked his head, confused. "What?"

 

They all stared at him in disbelief.

 

"You couldn't tell?" Caroline asked him, eyes wide.

 

"Well, in my defense, I didn't get a chance actually to see him. Why? Tell what?"

 

"Dad, he's gay," Mitchel finally said.

 

Mr. Lovell was quiet for a moment, stunned into silence.

 

"Wait, so if he's gay... and  _ you _ brought him over yesterday..." he glanced at Mitchel as he worked his way through his thoughts, "Do you like him? As in- you know?"

 

"M-maybe a little," Mitchel sputtered, his face lighting up red.

 

"Awe, does my little boy have a crush-?" Mrs. Lovell began, but the screech of Mitchel's chair cut her off.

 

"Oh, wow, look at that! Got to go!" Mitchel cried, hurling his backpack over his shoulder, and pushing the door open and slipping outside before his cheeks could turn ever redder.

 

*

 

The first thing Mitchel saw when he strolled into school was Dae, Hayden, and Veronica standing beside a wall of lockers, Hayden's arms crossed and Dae's voice ringing above the chattering of students and shuffling of feet.

 

Today, Dae dressed in one of the school's yellow t-shirts tucked under a navy flannel, their lips stained red and their eyelids glittering with golden shadow. Beside them, Veronica looked as she always did with her usual white Vans, cropped sweatshirt hanging off her shoulders, and a pair of ripped jeans.

 

"What the fuck, Hayden?" Dae shot, stomping their foot onto the concrete, gesturing to Hayden's plain baby-blue sweatshirt and khakis. "I told you a thousand times it was school spirit day!"

 

"I know, and I don't care!" Hayden snapped. "Besides, I don't have anything in the right colors."

 

"What do you mean? They give us new shirts every year?" Veronica added, leaning back against the wall.

 

Mitchel made his way over to the group, careful to stay out of sight, wondering why Dae was heckling Hayden for not wearing the right colors when Veronica wasn't either. Maybe, it had something to do with the disaster of an appreciation day yesterday?

 

"They never fit. The shirt's either way to big or I can't get my arms through the sleeves," Hayden said, turning to Dae with a scowl, "And weren't you the one who told me yellow washes me out?"

 

"Yeah, four years ago! You know, back when I thought pink and green was an acceptable color combination-?!"

 

"Whatever," Hayden huffed, "It's not like I can go home and change or something."

 

"Well," Mitchel suddenly said, finding himself hovering over Hayden's shoulder as if he'd always been there, "I could lend you my letterman jacket if you want? It might be a little big, but I think we can manage."

 

Hayden whipped around to look at him, his whole face tinted pink.

 

"No... i-it's okay. I'll just-"

 

"Oh, no," Dae interrupted, planting their hands on their hips, "you're going to take that jacket, and you're going to wear it until you  _ physically  _ can't take it off. I don't care if I have to force you into it. We have an aesthetic, Hayden!"

 

"Fuck your aesthetic! Why am I the only one getting yelled at-!? Ronnie's not wearing the colors either!"

 

"I'm protesting. You're stubborn. There's a difference," Veronica said, shrugging.

 

Hayden huffed, lowering his head in defeat. "Fine, I'll wear the jacket. But not because Dae told me to. B-because I want to!"

 

He turned to Mitchel, smiling.

 

"If you don't mind?"

 

Mitchel gleamed. "No problem, follow me."

 

He led them through the maze of halls until they reached what everyone called the "basement" of the school. It was dark and dirty, but one of the most populated parts of the building. It was where the gym connected to the cafeteria, and where all the student-athletes hung out when it was too cold to go outside. It's where everyone went when they wanted to skip class.

 

Hayden, on the other hand, knew it as the hallway of hell, as it led to his least favorite place in America: the boy's locker room.

 

He'd never had a good experience in that locker room. Not only did it smell like an AXE store, but it was where Hayden's anxiety always got the best of him. Like most boys locker rooms, there were no stalls, no curtains, no  _ nothing _ to hide behind. The only wall-like thing in there was the metal fence that separated the lockers from the showers.

 

Teachers expected to them to stand out in the open like animals and strip.

 

_ In front of the other boys! _

 

(One might say it was where Hayden learned his place on the grand old Spectrum of Gay™.)

 

As a lover of boys, it was Hayden's worst nightmare. He had as much body insecurity as the next guy. That is, he had  _ a lot _ of body insecurity. He was chubby in all the places he shouldn't be, his thighs, his stomach, his arms. No matter how many times his  _ Zia _ told him he was too skinny, he just couldn't believe her.

 

After quitting ballet in freshman year, Hayden started jogging to keep off the extra weight, but with drama, college tours, and painting taking up so much of his life, he couldn't find the time anymore.

 

Needless to say, once he had all his gym credits, he took one last look at that hellscape and never turned back.

 

Today was the exception.

 

Hayden hesitated before stepping through the door, holding his breath as if the air was poison. Mitchel, however, went right in, stopping in front of his locker and fiddling with the combination until it popped open. He fished through it for a moment before pulling out his navy blue and yellow letterman jacket.

 

Hayden eyed it as he slid his arms through. The sleeves ended at the tip of his fingers, and the hem fell well past his hips. The collar bunched around his shoulders, threatening to roll off, but Hayden shrugged it back into place.

 

"I -um... I think you were right," Hayden laughed, attempting to push the sleeves up to his wrist, "It's huge."

 

All Mitchel could do was stare. Shit, why did he look so good? The jacket practically swallowed him whole! He couldn't find the words, so he let his awe-struck expression speak for him.

 

Hayden bit his cheek. "Does it look that bad?"

 

"No! It looks amazing! I mean, you're always beautiful, b-but in that... uh-" Mitchel suddenly sighed, his sentence dying on his tongue. He threw his head back against the locker, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. I just... - I can't think straight when I'm with you."

 

Hayden didn't say anything. All he did was reach his arm over his chest to hug it, crossing his ankles and tapping the tip of his toes on the concrete, staring at the floor.

 

He rubbed his lips, considering, before he said, "I think we need to talk. A-about last night-"

 

"I know," Mitchel said, "I'm sorry, Hayden, I should've asked first. I didn't mean to force myself on you."

 

"No, it's not that. I was wondering if... if you would do it again?"

 

Mitchel froze. "D-do what again?"

 

_ "Kiss me." _

 

Mitchel took a hesitant step forward as if to give Hayden one last chance to say no, to push him away, before he took Hayden's face into his hands and pressed their lips together.

 

Someone once told him that no kiss was better than the first, but they were wrong. Oh, so  _ wrong. _ This wasn't like the first; rushed, and sudden, and messy. This time, Hayden kissed him back, wrapping his arms around Mitchel's neck to press their lips harder together. This time, Mitchel could bask in the way Hayden felt in his arms, warm and welcoming as he slid his hands down to rest on his hips.

 

He's wanted this for so long.

 

He didn't know what to do when Hayden began to pull back. He wanted to keep him there, to pretend the bell wasn't going to ring and the rest of the world didn't exist. But Hayden didn't let go. He stood there with his arms around him, laying his head on Mitchel's shoulder. Mitchel let his cheek rest in Hayden's nest of curls, peaceful and safe.

 

"Hayden," Mitchel said after a moment, rubbing circles into Hayden's waist, "I want to try again."

 

Hayden looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

 

"I want to take you out on a date. A real one this time. Not just Harry's and a walk."

 

"Well... Homecoming's this Friday?"

 

Mitchel smirked. "Hayden, are you asking me to the dance?"

 

"Maybe," he said, swaying them side to side. "Mitchel, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

 

"Damn, I was going to ask you. You beat me to it," Mitchel joked, peppering Hayden's cheek with a kiss.

 

"There's always Prom."

 

"So this... is this a thing? Can I tell everyone that Hayden Donato Argento, the star of the drama program and the most beautiful person in the world, is my boyfriend?"

 

Hayden smiled. "Only if I get to tell everyone that Mitchel Irving Lovell, star athlete and angle on earth, is mine?"

 

"Sounds like a pretty good deal, don't you think?"

 

"I think so."

 

Hayden pressed another kiss against Mitchel's lips, this one slow and sensual. God, if he could make a list of all the ways Hayden could kiss him, it would be four miles long, and so far, he could only check off three. He wanted to know every single one.

 

Then, the bell rang.

 

"I fucking hate that thing," Mitchel sighed, untangling them enough that he could take Hayden's hands, "It ruins everything."

 

"It's fine. We'll see each other next period," Hayden assured him.

 

"Too long a wait. I think I'm addicted to your kisses."

 

"Good. We're addicted to each other."

 

Hayden leaned in for one more quick peck just as the warning bell chimed. He played with the cuffs of Mitchel's jacket for a moment before making his way towards the hall.

 

"Mitchel?" Hayden asked, stalling at the threshold.

 

"Yeah?" Mitchel said.

 

_ "Adoro la tua giacca. Esso odora di te."  _ (I love the jacket. It smells like you.)

 

*

 

"Hey, Ronnie?" Dae said a few minutes after Hayden and Mitchel left, checking their phone as they and Veronica walked down the hallway to the library, "Did someone hack the Homecoming polls?"

 

Veronica halted, her eyes blowing wide. "W-why do you ask?"

 

"Hayden and Mitchel are on here." They held the screen out for Veronica to look at, and to Veronica's misfortune, her friends were in second place, two points behind the leading couple.

 

"Are you're shitting me-?!" Veronica screeched, grabbing the phone out of Dae's hands. "How the fuck did they rack up this many points in less than a day? They don't even know they're on Goddamn the ballot!"

 

"Wait... how do you know...?"

 

Dae stared at her for a long moment, a hodgepodge of confusion, disgust, and disappointment morphing onto their face before the realization hit them.  _ Hard. _

 

"What the fuck did you do, Ronnie?" Dae groaned.

 

"I signed Hayden and Mitchel up for Homecoming kings," Veronica sighed, "But I did it as a joke! I didn't think people would vote for them. I mean, they're not even dating!"

 

_ "Yet," _ Dae corrected. "Look, when you, me, Brooke, and Reese decided to help Hayden out with this whole Mitchel thing, we agreed we would be subtle. Putting their names on the Homecoming ballot isn't subtle! Hayden's going to lose his shit when he finds out!"

 

"Well, what if he doesn't-?"

 

"You have to call Reese," Dae said, ignoring her.

 

"No way!" She protested, "If you think Hayden's gonna be mad, telling Reese is a death wish!"

 

"This is beyond the two of us, Ronnie. You have to fix this."

 

_ "Me-!?" _

 

"Yes, you! You started this, and you're going to finish it!"

 

"I hate it when you're right," Veronica grumbled, reaching into her bag to get her phone. She held the speaker to her ear, waiting for Reese to pick up, but it went straight to voicemail.

 

"What happened?" Dae asked.

 

"The bitch won't answer. I'm pretty sure he's in a student council meeting right now."

 

"Well, shit..." They sighed, rubbing the space between their eyes. "What are we going to do now? Polls close after first period!"

 

Veronica shrugged.

 

"Pray?"

 

*

 

Reese stood in the center of the gym, watching as his fellow students padded around the room, hanging lights and setting up the tables for the dance tomorrow night. David stood on a latter in the back, pinning a banner to the doorway while Brooke kept it steady with one hand, the other occupied with her phone.

 

Reese glanced at his clipboard, scanning his to-do list. He still needed to check in with the caterers to make sure everything was ready for tomorrow, and the fairy lights were still tangled in the corner waiting for someone to hang them up, but Mitchel would take care of that whenever he decided to show up.

 

He was, after all, the light boy.

 

He was the one everyone called when there was a problem with the overhead lights in the auditorium, or when a bulb went out in the closet backstage. He was the one who designed Dae's  _ Lumiere _ costume for the musical, complete with fake flames Dae could flicker on and off at will.

 

Suddenly, the gym doors came flying open.

 

_ Well speak of the devil, _ Reese thought as Mitchel swaggered into the room, a smile brighter than the sun plastered on his face. If Reese hadn't known any better, he would say Mitchel looked like he just got laid, what with the way he held his head up high and his green eyes sparkled with cheer.

 

"Who got in your pants today, Mr. Sunshine?" Brooke asked, glancing away from her phone for the first time that morning.

 

Mitchel shrugged. "I don't kiss and tell."

 

"Wait...  _ kiss-?!" _ David shot, nearly slipping off the latter.

 

"Sorry, guys, my lips are sealed," he laughed.

 

"Well, whatever happened," Reese said to Mitchel, pointing to the mess of lights in the corner, "You've got a job over there with your name on it. We only have forty minutes until the bell rings to get all this done, so start moving."

 

Mitchel went over to the lights without complaint. Not even Reese's iron-fist could ruin his mood. After yesterday's disaster of a kiss, it felt like everything was finally going up-hill for him. Hayden was probably sitting in art class right now with everyone staring at him, wondering why on Earth he had Mitchel's jacket on. When they asked him, Hayden would mumble a short reply with a blush on his face, and the thought never failed to make Mitchel smile.

 

Yes, everything was perfect.

 

That was until he heard Brooke let out a strangled gasp. He turned to look at her, only to find her eyes blown wide as her clenched her vibrating phone in her hands. She glanced at Reese, asking for permission to take the call, and though Reese hesitated, he let her go.

 

She scrambled out into the hallway, Reese following close behind, but never leaving the gym. Concern riddles his expression, his brows drawn together and his lips curved downwards. He listened with intent through the door but sighed when he heard nothing but the shuffling of feet and the slam of lockers.

 

"What are you all looking at?" He said, facing the crowd that had gathered around him. "Get back to work... please?"

 

Startled at Reese's sudden docile tone, they returned to their tasks, but not without some murmuring here and there. Even Dae had turned away, seeing as though they already knew what was going on. Just like Reese.

 

Mitchel and David, however, remained glued to their spots.

 

"What's going on?" David asked.

 

"Nothing," Reese sighed, "it's none of your concern."

 

"You're kidding me? She looks like she just saw someone get shot!" David protested, "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's happening. Brooke's our friend too now."

 

"Go on and tell them," Dae said, appearing out of nowhere, "She won't be upset."

 

Reese let out a breath, relenting.

 

They needed a break anyways.

 

"Fine," he said, leading them over to the bleachers to sit down. Once settled, he began, "You guys know Casper, right? Brooke's brother?"

They nodded.

 

"And you know that he's trans, yes?"

 

Another nod.

 

"Well, about six years ago, a year before they moved here, Casper came out to his parents. Brooke knew before everyone else, so it wasn't much of a shocker for her, and their father was fine with it, but their mother is the most homophobic, transphobic bitch you'll ever meet."

 

"She hated that her kid was trans. She hated that Brooke was gay. She hated everything! She thought she'd failed as a parent, that she'd raised two disgraces. For a while, she seemed fine, that she would get over it, but then the abuse started."

 

At first, it was nothing but a slap in the back of the head or a flick on the forehead. Over time, though, it turned into black eyes, and bleeding fingernails, and deep scratches carved into their wrists. Before Brooke and Casper could even blink, their once loving mother turned into the monster under their beds, looming over them from the shadows of their own home, eyes glowing red and teeth dripping blood.

 

Through it all, their father, Mr. George Lloyde, remained oblivious. Working late into the night, he was much too busy to notice the fear in his children's eyes. It wasn't until he took them to get their haircut one day that he finally saw the little scars behind the kids' ears. He took them to get ice-cream at the park afterward, questioning them.

 

It took a mere moment for the twins to break down, sobbing until they choked, fat tears streaming down their red-hot faces. They told their father everything. The abuse and the nightmares and the horrors. Everything. Their father was beyond furious, anger bubbling in his gut as his children cried, and cried, and cried until they passed out in his arms.

 

Despite his ignorance, Mr. Lloyde was a good man, a good father, and he wasn't going to let this go. No child should suffer like that, especially not his own.

 

That night, he dropped the twins off at his sister's house for the evening and went back home to have a long talk with his wife. The conversation ended with screaming, crying, and three smashed windows, but Mr. Lloyde didn't care. His kids were safe.

 

Two years later, Mr. Lloyde - now a divorced, single father - moved himself and his family across the country to a small, suburban town in New York far, far away from where his wife was rotting in prison.

 

"They're okay now," Reese said after a moment, waiting for the information to soak in, "Casper's on hormones, Brooke's doing whatever lesbians do, and their mother's in jail for child abuse and hate crimes."

 

David and Mitchel remained stiff, shocked into silence.

 

"Damn," was all David managed to say.

 

"So... what does that have to do with the call Brooke got?"

 

It was then Brooke appeared before them, her face flushed red and her short nails digging marks into her palms. She refused to look at them, holding her head down as if the floor were a mirror.

 

"Did you tell them?" Brooke asked, her voice but a whisper.

 

"Yeah," Reese said. A thin layer of guilt coated his tone, but Brooke couldn't find it in herself to scold him.

 

"It's okay." She nodded towards David and Mitchel. "They were going to hear my sob story eventually. I'm glad it was from you and not drunk me."

 

"But what was with that call?" Mitchel asked.

 

"It's a long story. All you need to know is that my mom's getting out of jail a few years early for 'good behavior' or something, but I'm not worried. She doesn't know where we moved to, we have a restraining order, and she lost all custody to us thanks to my dad. We'll be fine when the time comes."

 

David let out a short breath of relief, but neither Reese or Dae seemed convinced.

 

"Are you sure?" Dae asked, placing a comforting hand on Brooke's shoulder. "I know you're worried-

 

"I'm sure!" Brooke snapped before they could finish, "Casper and I will be off to college before she even gets out. She can't get to us unless she wants to face seven more years in prison. My mom's a bitch, but she's not stupid."

 

Reese added, "We trust your judgment, Brooke, but if anything happens, promise me you'll talk to someone other than your brother. Someone who can help you beyond emotional support."

 

"I will," Brooke promised. Her expression then flipped from teary-eyed fear to a bright smile. In a mocking, pirate's voice, she chimed, "Are ya ready, kids?"

 

They couldn't help but laugh.

 

"Aye, aye, Captain!"

 

*

 

A few minutes later, when Mitchel had turned back to his task of untangling fairy lights, his smile still hadn't returned to his face. No matter what did, he couldn't get Brooke's wide tear-stricken eyes out of his head.

 

He thought back to his own family. His kind, caring,  _ accepting _ family. The family who didn't care if he liked boys, girls, both or neither, who hugged him and told me they'd love him no matter what when he came out as bisexual a year and a half ago.

 

The idea of an unaccepting family was never foreign to him, but he never thought it'd fall so close to home. He couldn't picture it happening to anyone he knew, not in a town like this, where people hung rainbow flags from shop windows in June. Not in this school, where three openly gay teachers taught in classrooms every day, undisturbed.

 

Not in his world.

 

But Brooke didn't live in his world. Her's was darker, cloudy skies, and the fear that everything comes back. It was infinite black oceans and poison on her plate. There were no crystal lakes or soft snow like Mitchel's. No strawberry milkshakes or warm blankets or gentle laughter.

 

There was, however, one bridge between their two worlds.

 

Hayden.

 

What would happen when she found out he and Hayden were together? Would that bridge collapse, leaving her stranded alone while Hayden stood with him on the other side? He couldn't steal Hayden from her. Not from Reese, or Dae, or Veronica.

 

He'll keep the bridge steady. No matter what.

 

"Hey, Mitchel?" A voice suddenly shot, making Mitchel jump. He whipped around to see Dae smiling at him, clutching a paper in his hands.

 

"Oh my God, where do you keep coming from-?!" Mitchel shot, his breath beginning to even out.

 

Dae laughed, "What? You don't know about the portals in the band room?"

 

"No, they're in the choir room!" Reese called from the other end of the room, "So all of us nerds can use them."

 

"Whatever!" Dae shot back, rolling their ears. They turned back to Mitchel and held out the paper, waiting for him to take it. "Anyways, I have something for you."

 

Mitchel looked down at the note to find a list.

 

_ Things Hayden Likes: _

 

_ 1) Your freckles _

_ 2) Carnations _

_ 3) Watercolor Paints _

_ 4) Your Forearms _

_ 5) You _

 

_ Things Hayden Doesn't Like: _

 

_ 1) Ants _

_ 2) The crippling fear of dying alone. _

 

Mitchel looked up at Dae - half confused, half amused - but Dae just gave him a thumbs up and walked away.

 

*

 

Hayden had one fear as he walked to his first-period art class that morning. What would people say about Mitchel's jacket? He had no good reason to wear it, so why was he? Would they even notice at all? God, he could already feel everyone's eyes on him.

 

To Hayden's relief, no one paid him any mind as he made his way towards the back of the classroom where his latest painting was resting on the drying rack. His stood out amongst the others, his metallic silver and gold carnations shining above the other students' monochrome roses.

 

He managed to get through the rest of class without a hitch, scampering out the door before anyone got the chance to even glance in his direction.

 

Only five more classes left, then he'd be home free.

 

When second period rolled around, his anxiety came creeping up again. Mitchel was in this class with him. They were dating now, Mitchel was his  _ boyfriend. _ Was he supposed to sit next to him or just in his regular seat? Would they act like nothing changed, and  Mitchel hadn't kissed him in the boy's locker room less than an hour ago? He didn't know the rules!

 

He shared one class with his last boyfriend back in sophomore year, but Hayden didn't like him enough to choose to sit close to him. Outside of hand-holding and a rare kiss on the cheek, they didn't act like a real couple. They didn't eat lunch together or spend time alone outside of school. They never even had a second date.

 

Did he even like boys? Hayden wondered.

 

Looking back, the only reason they agreed to go out in the first place was for the sake of saying they had a partner at all. Hayden never had feelings for him, he never had feelings for Hayden, and by the time they decided to break up, they could barely stand to sit in the same room.

 

But this was different. Mitchel was different. Hayden  _ liked _ Mitchel, and he didn't want to mess up.

 

Luckily, Mitchel seemed to know what he was doing. He smiled at Hayden as soon as he walked through the door, patting the seat beside him. Hayden slid in, and Mitchel took his hand, pressing a gentle kiss to his knuckles.

 

"I have something I need to ask you," Mitchel said, and Hayden nodded. "How much affection are you comfortable with?"

 

Hayden stared at him. "What do you mean?"

 

"Everyone has their limits on how comfortable they are with public affection, and I know you're shy, so I want to know before I accidentally cross the line."

 

"Oh... I never thought about that. I guess so I'm used to Veronica's hugs that PDA doesn't bother me anymore." Hayden shrugged, considering. "I'm good with everything. Hugs, hand-holding, kisses on the cheek, whatever you want. Except for one thing."

 

"Which is?" Mitchel inquired.

 

"Kisses. On the cheek or hand or forehead, those are fine, but kisses on the lips are special. Sacred. I don't want to share them with anyone. They're just for us, you know?"

 

"Yeah, I think so too," Mitchel said, a smirk appearing on his lips. "So, to refresh, everything besides mouth kisses are on the table?"

 

Hayden nodded.

 

"So... you wouldn't mind if I did this?" Mitchel leaned over and pressed his lips against Hayden's cheek. Hayden leaned into him, his smile scrunching up his nose.

 

"I wouldn't mind one bit."

 

*

 

Luca didn't show up for rehearsal.

 

Mitchel didn't know whether he should be happy or terrified. On the bright side, there was a good chance he wouldn't have to see Luca Dean for the remainder of the year - or the rest of his life if he tried hard enough - but on the other hand, it was proof just how horrifying Hayden was when someone pissed him off.

 

Mitchel was completely and utterly charmed.

 

He wasn't the only one who noticed Luca's absences, either.

 

"Where's Dean?" Director Picard asked, scanning the crowd of students sitting at the edge of the stage for role-call. The students were more than surprised when they saw their direction coming down the aisle that afternoon; clipboard pressed to his chest and wire glasses sliding down his nose.

 

How kind of him to grace them with his presence.

 

The students shrugged, turning to whisper among themselves as Mr. Picard continued to call names. Hayden sat squished between Reese and Veronica at the end of the line, his lips pressed into a line with a mixture of guilt and pride.

 

Mitchel wanted to kiss all the worries right off his face.

 

Unfortunately, his chance didn't come until later.

 

With Luca gone, they had to call in an understudy last minute. Malcolm Rowley - the new  _ Gaston _ \- looked more like a noodle than a man with long, lanky arms and scrawny legs. He and Hayden spent what felt like hours rehearsing lines together before Malcolm's appalling acting and awkward movements began to wear on Hayden.

 

Mr. Picard finally took pity on them and sent them backstage to rest. Mitchel saw this as his chance and ran to Hayden the moment he stepped off stage.

 

Hayden smiled when he saw him.

 

"Tell me that was as bad as I thought?" He groaned, slumping into Mitchel's waiting arms like a rag doll, throwing his arms around his neck and resting his head on his shoulder.

 

Mitchel laughed. "No, it was much worse."

 

"Is it wrong for me to say I miss Luca?" He said, "I mean, at least he can act!"

 

"Malcolm might suck, but he's not an asshole. Unlike Luca, he's not going to hurt anyone." Mitchel scowled. "I'm glad he's not here. You're safe."

 

"I'm also safe when you're around.  _ Tu sei il mio cavaliere." _

 

"What does that mean?" Mitchel smirked.

 

Hayden shrugged. "Google it."

 

Without thinking, Mitchel leaned forward to kiss him, but Hayden put his hand between them before their lips could touch. He rolled his eyes at him, but all Mitchel did was take Hayden's hands and bring him out to the hallway. They settled in a nook between the lockers, giggling like kids.

 

"This better?" Mitchel asked, cupping Hayden's cheeks.

 

"Much better."

 

Hayden lifted himself onto his toes to lock their lips together, smiling as they kissed. Mitchel ran his fingers along Hayden's cheeks, embracing the way it felt to have him in his arms. Like nothing on this earth could ever tear them apart.

 

"Someday I'm going to kiss every single freckle on your face," Hayden said between breaths, admiring his boyfriend's bright green up close.

 

"That's going to take a while, you know? They're everywhere."

 

Hayden kissed him once more.

 

"We have all the time in the world."

 

Mitchel pulled out his phone, shaking it in his hands. "Then how about a quick selfie?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The list Dae gave Mitchel is inspired by a YOI comic by @madcustard on Tumblr. I saw it and I thought it fit these characters so well I just couldn't help myself!
> 
> He's super cool and extreamly talented. Go check him out [here](http://madcustard.tumblr.com/)


	8. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready to dance?

Hayden had forgotten a few important details when he let Mitchel post that selfie yesterday.

 

The first was that half the school practically stalked Mitchel on Instagram. He was one of the most popular students in school, and it surprised Hayden how often he forgot that these days. His Mitchel just wasn't the same person everyone knew anymore.

 

The second was that Dae was active on just about every social media available in the U.S and would no doubt re-post the picture on every single one of them.

 

Last but not least, _none_ of those people knew how to keep their mouths shut, and word traveled fast in such a small town. It wouldn't be long until everyone knew about him and Mitchel, and that in itself made Hayden want to crawl under a rock and die.

 

In fact, it traveled so fast that two minutes after Mitchel posted the dreaded photo, Hayden received a call from Dae that consisted of nothing but hysterical squealing for a full thirty seconds.

 

Through all the chaos - and Reese's absence due to having to get to school early to plan for the dance - Hayden still managed to pry himself out of the protective bundle of blankets he'd wrapped around himself and get dressed according to the day's theme: pride.

 

Pride didn't mean what Hayden thought it did. He was prepared to show up to school in full on rainbow attire. Rainbow socks, sweater, bracelets, and pins all tied together to showcase just how gay he was - in all scenes of the word. However, Veronica and Dae told him the theme went far beyond that, that it was pride for all things, not just sexuality.

 

Dae and Veronica chose to embrace their cultures. Veronica let her hair flow over her shoulders, unbrushed with subtle waves like always. She had a thick bracelet made out of thousands of tiny beads wrapped around her wrist and a traditional Native American dance shawl fringed with yellow tassels thrown over her shoulders. Dae hadn't forgone their usual bold eyeliner and highlighted cheeks, but now they wore a light blue silken shirt decorated with dozens of white flowers tied together with a sheer silver sash. Hayden recognized it as the gift Dae's grandparents gave them for their fifteenth birthday, handmade and shipped all the way from Korea.

 

Hayden would've been mortified walking into school looking so different, standing out like a needle in a haystack, but Veronica and Dae cared little for what everyone else thought. He admired that about his friends, how bold they were, how _proud_. Hayden could never be like them, no matter how much he wished he could.

 

Hayden's outfit was boring compared to his friends'. He managed to fish out his mother's silver _cornicello_ from the back of his closet and threw on a soft lilac purple sweater with the word "magari" written on the front in curvy, white letters. It made him chuckle. He'd gone through a phase in middle school where that was his response to everything.

 

"Did you eat the chips before lunch?" His father would ask, and all Hayden would say in reply was _"Magari."_

 

It was a passive word. It never confirmed nor denied anything, and maybe that's why he liked it so much. Unless he told someone, no one understood what he said. It could've been a swear for they knew, but they'd shake their heads and carry on.

 

As a final touch, he threw Mitchel's jacket over his shoulders and went to meet his parents for breakfast.

 

Breakfast was a simple affair in the Argento household. Unlike many of Hayden's friends, they didn't have an elaborate meal in the morning. Whoever woke up first made a pot of coffee, and maybe Hayden would have a cup of yogurt while his parents watched the news before heading off to school. Sometimes it felt as though the Argento's were on a different time than everyone else in town.

 

The first time Hayden went over to Brooke's for dinner in 7th grade, he was surprised how early they ate dinner. In Hayden's home, they ate at eight or nine at night, while Brooke's family had long ago finished their meal by the time the clock struck seven.

 

When he asked his father about it the next day, he told him they were living on a different time. "Italian time," as his father put it. Hayden never questioned it after that. With how often his family went back to Italy - every summer for three weeks plus birthdays and holidays - there was no point in trying to change anything.

 

Hayden felt like all eyes were on him as he sped down the halls. For once he missed Reese's confident presences beside him, like a wall blocking him from the fierce looks burning him from the inside out. He was so distracted by his anxiety that he almost forgot Mitchel asked him to meet him by the staircase near the auditorium. Instead of turning to head towards the cafe, Hayden rounded the corner only to find Luca Dean coming down the corridor.

 

They spotted each other, both frozen to their spots. Panic began to seep into Hayden's blood, but Luca turned away before he could think to flee. Luca looked almost _hurt_ as he retreated into a nearby classroom, his eyes swirling with guilt, but Hayden couldn't find it in himself to feel sorry for him. He didn't deserve forgiveness.

 

Shaking it off, he continued his Trekk around the school. He was glad to find Mitchel already sitting on the staircase when he arrived, scrolling through his phone and sporting three gold medals wrapped around his neck. Only they didn't look like Mitchel's.

 

Hayden studied them as he plopped down beside him, Mitchel wrapping his arm around him as soon as he was within his reach.

 

"Why do you have a softball medal?" Hayden couldn't help but ask.

 

Mitchel laughed, "It's not mine. It's Caroline's."

 

"And why do you have Caroline's softball medal?"

 

"For pride day!"

 

Hayden wasn't catching on.

 

"I'm showing my pride for my family," Mitchel explained, holding up another medal. "Look, this one is Devin's. He won it his junior year for scoring the winning goal in the last hockey game of the season. And this one is Peter's from when he won first place in a dance competition last year."

 

"Oh," Hayden said, his heart fluttering, "That's so sweet, Mitchel."

 

"I see you're wearing one of my trophies too." Mitchel wrapped his arms around him, hugging Hayden tight and pressing a kiss to his cheeks. "I love it on you."

 

Hayden smirked. "Speaking of which, I found something... _interesting_ in your pocket yesterday."

 

"What?" Mitchel asked.

 

Hayden reached into the pocket, pulling out a slip of paper. Mitchel paled at the sight, jerking to snatch the paper from Hayden's hand, but he was too slow. Hayden giggled, waving a ticket to a midnight showing of *Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi.

 

"I didn't know my boyfriend was such a geek."

 

Mitchel pouted. "You're not going to tell anyone, right?"

 

"What does it matter?"

 

"I don't want people to think I'm... you know, a nerd!"

 

"What doesn't it matter?" Hayden asked, "Aren't I a nerd?"

 

"That's different! You're a cute musical nerd."

 

"And you're a cute sporty nerd," Hayden said, squeezing his hand. "No one is going to judge you for liking Star Wars, Mitchel. You can't live in this country without having watched it at least three times."

 

Mitchel sighed, "I guess you're right. Besides, the only person I need to like me is you."

 

"And I do."

 

They leaned in at the same time, their noses squishing together before they kissed. They could feel each other smiling as Hayden shifted his weight to throw his legs over Mitchel's, his boyfriend running a gentle hand up and down his creamy thighs.

 

"Has anyone ever told you that you have nice legs?" Mitchel said as they pulled apart enough for Hayden to snuggle into his shoulder.

 

"I think Brooke's said something once or twice."

 

"You deserve to have someone call you beautiful every day."

 

"I think there are still some applications available," Hayden added, "It's not a very sought out position if you can't tell."

 

"Those boys don't know what they're missing."

 

"They'll know thanks to that selfie," Hayden said, lowering his gaze to the floor.

 

"Right..." Mitchel sighed, his eyes crinkling in the way they always do when he feels guilty. "Has anyone said anything to you?"

 

He shook his head. "Not yet, but I feel like everyone's staring at me now. It's like I'm walking on eggshells, one wrong step and everything's going to come crashing down. I don't know how you do it all day."

 

"Do what?"

 

"Be the center of attention! You're the one everyone always has their eyes on, watching you, and looking up to you. I mean, you're perfect all the time -perfect hair, perfect smile, perfect everything! How has no one discovered how big of a dork you are? How do you not crack under pressure-!?"

 

"Is that how everyone sees me?" Mitchel asked, his eyes wide.

 

Hayden nodded. “That’s how I used to see you.”

 

"I guess I've never seen it that way." Mitchel was quiet for a moment, letting Hayden's words sink in. "I always thought I was just being myself, but I guess I can't see through other people's eyes. Does everyone think I'm a superhero or something?"

 

"More like a knight. A knight in shining armor. _Il mio Cavaliere."_

 

Mitchel sighed, "Can you please tell me what that means? I've heard you say it before, but I'm never able to figure it out."

 

"It means you're my knight," Hayden said, "You protected me from Luca. You and Brooke helped me through a panic attack. You saved me from David the Dragon when we were eight! You are a knight, Mitchel. It's who you are."

 

"If I'm your knight, does that make you my prince? Knights protect princes, right?

 

Hayden scoffed. "I'm more like the peasant you meet singing to birds in the middle of the forest."

 

"That's what you think. To me, you'll always be my prince."

 

*

 

For the first time all week, Mitchel wasn't at lunch. Instead, he'd chosen to run laps around the track to work out the sudden anxiety clouding his mind. Running always made Mitchel feel better - like he was shifting all his stress to his muscles and sweating them away.

 

There was only one problem:

 

He didn't know why he was stressed.

 

Besides for a few bumps in the road, the week had been marvelous! He's gotten a full eight hours of sleep every night, passed his calculus exam on Monday, put Luca Dean in his place, and best of all, he finally asked Hayden out! After six long years of pining, they were together.

 

Everything was going uphill for him, so what was the problem?

 

He must've gotten at least four laps around the track before he heard a voice calling to him. Panting, Mitchel looked over his shoulder to find Aaron and David leaning over the fence, glaring at him. He wiped his sweating hands on his gym shorts before gesturing to the bleachers, beckoning his friends to follow him.

 

"What's up with you?" Aaron asked once they were settled on the bench, "You never come down here unless something's on your mind."

 

Mitchel shook his head. "It's nothing."

 

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Do you think I can't recognize my own habits in you? Who do you think taught you to workout when you're stressed? Remember when you were a kid and you'd lock yourself in your room and watch _Star Trek_ for three hours straight?"

 

"That was one time!"

 

"Come on, Mitchel," David snapped, "Tell us what's going on."

 

He sighed, finally relenting.

 

"It's Hayden. I'm worried he's going to get hurt."

 

"Mitchel, you'd never-"

 

"I know. It's not me I'm worried about, it's everyone else."

 

David blinked. "What do you mean?"

 

"One selfie was enough to send everyone in this damn school into a frenzy, and I could tell it was freaking him out. He didn't say anything, but I saw it in his eyes." Mitchel said, "Everyone's always watching me, Hayden said so himself, and now they're going to watch him, too. He's not used to all that attention."

 

"But he's a drama kid," Aaron added, "Isn't that their thing?"

 

"It's different in real life. On stage, you're not yourself. You're playing a character. I'm just afraid of what people will say. The littlest thing could set him off, and I don't want him to have a panic attack because of me."

 

"That's just who Hayden is, Mitch. His anxiety isn't going to disappear now that you're together," Aaron said, "You can't control what people say or do, and if they do end up hurting him, all you can do is be there to remind him how much you love him."

 

"I know, but things weren't supposed to happen like this. There wasn't supposed to be a Luca Dean, or a fucked-up first kiss, or anxiety attacks!" He said, "It was supposed to be me and Hayden reuniting and falling in love with a happy ending where we kiss and run off into the sunset. It wasn't supposed to be this difficult."

 

Aaron shook his head.

 

"You're an idiot. Handsome and loving, but an idiot. We're not in a show. We're not playing characters. We're real people with flaws and insecurities in the real world. Something is _always_ going to stop you from getting what you want. There are no princes or knights or love at first sight, and that happy ending you're imagining doesn't exist."

 

"That doesn't mean I can't try!"

 

"Go ahead. You'll fail every time."

 

Mitchel found himself leaning forward, squeezing his plastic water bottle until it was nothing but a wrinkled pancake in his hands. His fingers were white, and his forehead still glistened with a thin sheen of sweat. He took in a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs and clear his head.

 

Mitchel was always the hero, the knight or savior. He didn't know who else to be, but Aaron was right. Hayden didn't want a hero. He needed Mitchel, just as he was; the nerdy, stubborn, hopeless romantic that Mitchel he kept hidden deep beneath his skin.

 

He wanted to show Hayden that side of himself.

 

"I only wish it was just the two of us," Mitchel sighed, "No one to tell us what to do or how to act. Life would be so much easier that way."

 

Aaron glanced over at David, guilt in their eyes.

 

"Yeah. If only."

 

*

 

The entire table shook when Reese's phone buzzed.

 

Usually, Reese didn't pay much attention to his phone, especially phone calls. It could've been his brother or sister calling to yell at him, and he dealt with that enough at home. He didn't need it in school too.

 

He had to admit he was jealous of his friends sometimes. He always thought envy was a useless emotion, but he couldn't help the tinge of heartbreak he felt whenever Hayden's parents kissed him goodbye in the morning or when Brooke and her brother took silly selfies in her bedroom mirror. Veronica and Dae knew where they were from, unlike him. They had a culture they could be proud of!

 

Why do you think Reese hadn't dressed up?

 

His family never bothered to trace back their ancestry. _Somewhere in Africa, a tad bit of European on your mother's side_ , his parents always said, but that never satisfied Reese's ever-growing appetite for knowledge. One day though, with or without them, he would learn.

 

Beside him, Brooke looked down at the phone, and then back at him. "Are you going to take that?"

 

Despite his strict no-cell-phone rules, he'd been glued to his screen all week. With everything going on with Hayden and Mitchel - not to mention the Homecoming Dance - stepping away from his phone for even a second would no doubt lead to absolute disaster.

 

Reading the text from Aaron, he knew he couldn't have been more right.

 

_Aaron: We should tell them_

 

For a moment, Reese panicked. What did he mean he wanted to tell them? Did he have a death wish-?! Hayden and Mitchel would never forgive them if they learned what they'd done! It only took a second for Reese to clear his head and turn to Brooke.

 

"Hey, Brooke, do you mind coming outside with me for a sec? It's dance stuff." He showed her the text and watched as her eyes grew wide. His eye flickered to Hayden and Brooke got the hint.

 

So, it seemed, did Hayden.

 

"What's going on? Why did you look at me, Reese?" Hayden asked.

 

Reese waved him off. "It's nothing's, I promise. It's dance stuff."

 

"Really?" Hayden crossed his arms. "Like what?"

 

"Like Someone ordering the wrong flavor of cupcakes for tonight, and now we have to go fix their mistake," Brooke cut in, "It'll take two minutes. We need to go call the catering company and get this sorted out."

 

Without another word, she and Reese fled to the hall, only to find themselves in a dusty, abandoned staircase underneath the third-floor bathrooms.

 

"This place fucking reeks!" Brooke said, holding her nose.

 

"That doesn't matter right now!" Reese snapped, whipping out his cell phone and pressing call. "We need to talk to Aaron before he does something we'll _all_ regret."

 

Brooke took the phone from his hand and clicked on speaker, and after what felt like an eternity, Aaron finally picked up.

 

_"Hello?"_

 

"What the fuck are you thinking?!" Brooke growled.

 

Aaron sighed, " _I don't think what we're doing is right! Hayden and Mitchel are together now. That was the goal, right? We don't need to keep this up anymore."_

 

Reese said, "That doesn't change what we did. We still interfered, and they'll still flip if they found out!"

 

 _"Still,"_ David chimed in, _"Mission complete?"_

 

"The mission will be complete when the dance passes without a hitch," Brooke said, "We just have to keep our mouths shut for a couple more hours and then in thirty years when Hayden and Mitchel are married and have two kids, we'll tell them and have a good laugh."

 

 _"You're sure?"_ Aaron asked.

 

Reese smiled.

 

"When are we ever wrong?"

 

*

 

Luckily for Hayden, the day went by fast. Before he knew it, he was waltzing into Veronica's living room with his suit in his hands and his makeup bag thrown over his shoulder. Dae had told him not to bring anything as they would have everything he needed, but it never hurt to come prepared. After all, they only had two hours to get ready.

 

When he entered the living room, Veronica and Brooke were sitting on the couch, a curling iron wrapped around a thin strand of Brooke's hair. Veronica's little brother, Ian, was watching them, mesmerized by how Brooke's hair fell over her shoulder in gentle waves. At the small table near a window, Dae had Reese strapped to a chair as they swiped a brush through a white, sparkly powder.

 

"C'mon, Reese! Please let me put some highlighter on you?" Dae whined, "It'll look so good with those pretty grey eyes, really make them sparkle! I promise it comes off translucent."

 

"I am not letting you put that shit on my face," Reese snapped, "I'll look like a snowman!"

 

They grabbed his hand. "No, you won't. Here, let me show you."

 

"No way in hell!" Reese pulled away. When he spotted Hayden standing in the middle of the room, he pointed to him. "Look, Hayden's here. You can poke at his face while I go put on my suit."

 

"Rude!" Dae called, fake hurt on their face as Reese stalked away to the bathroom. Hayden sat down beside them, patting their hand. "Why do I even try with him?"

 

"He just can't accept he'll never be one of the pretty people," Hayden laughed, "Not everyone can be as fabulous as us! Right, Brooke?"

 

"Damn right!" Brooke called from the couch. "You got the navy suit, right? The one with all the little pink flowers?"

 

"Yep," Hayden said, popping the _'p'._

 

"I have just the thing for that!" Dae cheered, patting the chair. "Take a seat, and let me take care of you."

 

*

 

Two hours later, and they were rushing to finish getting ready. Mitchel, Aaron, and David were just around the corner, and Brooke and Veronica had yet to change into their dresses. Dae was in the bathroom scrubbing lipstick swatches off their hand while Hayden and Reese watched in amusement from their spots on the couch.

 

Dae shrieked when the doorbell rang, running one last drop of gel through their hair as Veronica's moms went to open the door. The moment Mitchel, David, and Aaron stepped through the threshold, they were pushed into the living room for pictures.

 

They looked dashing in their suits. Aaron's was a deep, burgundy with an olive green handkerchief tucked into the pocket. It complimented his warm, tan skin and pale green eyes. David had stuck to a classic black three-piece but paired it with silver rose-shaped collar brooches that hung like a necklace down the front.

 

And Mitchel? He was perfect.

 

His navy blue suit was a classic contrast from the baby pink tie and flower pinned to his lapel. The crisp colors made his red hair and green eyes shimmer, and his shiny black shoes completed the look. Hayden's mouth went dry when he first spotted him, drinking in the way the suit accentuated all the little details on Mitchel's face, every freckle and every dimple in sight.

 

Hayden and Mitchel looked like a match made in heaven standing side-by-side as Veronica's mother took photo after photo. The base of Hayden's suit mirrored Mitchel's, but instead of a single pink flower in the pocket, he had them all over his jacket. Mitchel adored the way the suit clung to the curves of Hayden's body, cinching at the waist and hugging his thighs. The dark colors made his skin look even paler, and the cool shades of pink made his brown eyes shimmer.

 

"Wow," was the only word Mitchel could find when he saw Hayden. He smiled at him, bright and sweet, and took his hand to press a kiss against his fingers. "You look amazing."

 

Hayden blushed. "T-thank. You look good too. I can't believe you're my boyfriend now. How did I get so lucky?"

 

"It's not luck, love. It's destiny."

 

"Wow, that's cheesy, Mitchel," Hayden laughed.

 

"Well, get used to it. You'll be stuck with me for a while." With that, he pressed a tiny kiss against Hayden's temple.

 

Behind them, David groaned.

 

"Are you two love-birds done already? In case you haven't noticed, we have places to go tonight."

 

Mitchel held out his arm for Hayden. "Shall we?"

 

Hayden smiled. "Let's."

 

*

 

The gym no longer looked like the gym. Reese had somehow turned the hellhole full of sweaty jocks into a magnificent wonderland. Every corner was decked out according to different season; deep red and browns for autumn, bright pinks and soft yellows for spring, and glittering whites for winter.

 

Everywhere Hayden turned he saw something new. A small chocolate fountain here, a photobooth there, and an enormous flower display in the center of it all. If there was one good thing Hayden could say about his school, it was that they weren't cheap when it came to these dances.

 

Hayden could feel the pulse of the music through his veins and the warmth of Mitchel's hand in his as he and his friends traveled across the floor, stopping every once and a while to gawk at the streamers lining the walls or take a taste of some fizzy, blue drink set on display.

 

Hayden wasn't here tonight to gawk and stare. Not this time.

 

He was here to party, and once Mitchel lead him onto the dancefloor, there was no going back.

 

They danced for what felt like hours. It was just the two of them, moving, spinning, stepping, laughing hand-in-hand to the beat of the music until they forgot the world existed. They were happy in their little bubble, staring into each other's eyes like there was nothing more beautiful. And to them, there wasn't. Tonight was about them and their newfound joy, the relief of finally being able to hold one another in their arms.

 

How long had they waited for this? Days? Weeks? Years? Since birth?

 

Nothing mattered anymore, nothing but them.

 

Their fun came to an end when the music suddenly died down and a spotlight shined down on the center of the gym. Reese was standing before them, a microphone in his hands.

 

Under the light, Reese's pale blue suit turned silver, and for the first time all night, Hayden saw him smile. Everything so far was a success; the food, the music, the decorations were all perfect, and nothing made Reese happier than a job well done.

 

"What's up, everybody-?!" Reese screamed into the mic, "How are you all enjoying yourselves?"

 

The room erupted into cheers.

 

"That's what I like to hear! Now, I know you all want to go back to dancing and having fun, but there's still one important thing we need to do tonight." He pointed across the room towards the back of the gym where a yellow box sat on a table. "You all voted, and I have the results right here. Who's ready to see who _you_ elected as this year's Homecoming King and Queen?"

 

As students screamed and clapped, two attendants made their way into the spotlight carrying two silver crowns on top plush pillows. One of them was Brooke decked head to toe in an elegant black lace dress and tall red heels. The room fell silent when Reese reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a single, white envelope.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to announce the first ever Greenford High Homecoming Kings, Mitchel Lovell and Hayden Argento!"

 

All the air was instantly knocked out of his lungs when Hayden heard his name. _How-!?_ They never put their names on the ballot. He looked over at Mitchel, who looked just as confused, but they didn't have time to protest before they were pushed onto the light to accept their crowns.

 

"Congrats, guys," Reese said over the roaring crowd as Brooke placed the crowns over their heads.

 

Hayden almost didn't have time to process the wave of panic flooding into his blood, pounding against his skull as he and Mitchel stood in the center of the world. It was Hayden's worst nightmare come true. Everyone could see him, watch him, judge him, and this time, there was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

 

God, everything happened so fast.

 

Did they have a dance? A slow dance to their favorite song, one just for the two of them? That's what homecoming king and queen always did once they won. They danced, kissed, and lived happily ever after, right? Why can't he remember?

 

Why can't he breathe?

 

He didn't even process taking the few steps from the makeshift stage to the dance floor and all the way to the back of the room where Reese, Brooke, and all their friends had found a table. It was the quietest place in the room.

 

Old habits die hard, huh?

 

"Hayden?" Mitchel asked once they were alone in the corner, "Are you okay? Please talk to me."

 

"I-I..." Hayden struggled to speak, "I don't feel good."

 

Mitchel grabbed a chair from the table and helped Hayden to sit down. "It's alright. That was a lot all of a sudden. I'm going to get us something to drink, okay? Just sit tight for a minute."

 

"No!" Hayden cried, "Don't go!"

 

For once, Mitchel was at a loss.

 

"What do you need, Hayden? Tell me how can I help you?"

 

"I just... I don't want to be here."

 

Okay, that's good. Mitchel can work with that.

 

"Alright, I'm going to take you somewhere quiet. Is that okay?" He waited for Hayden to nod before he took his arm and brought him out the door and down the hall.

 

He didn't stop until they were outside the auditorium. The doors were locked, but it was closest they could get. He set himself and Hayden down on the bench, and soon enough, Hayden's breath began to even out.

 

"What the fuck was all of that?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

 

"I wish I could tell you."

 

"Did you... did you sign us up for Homecoming court?"

 

"Of course not!" Mitchel shot, "I would never do that without asking you. I would _love_ to know who did though."

 

Hayden laughed, his head lolling to rest on Mitchel's shoulder. "How much you want to bet it was Reese, or maybe Brooke?"

 

"I don't think Reese had the time for that this week, honestly, planning the dance and all, but Brooke I could see. I think if they did have something to do with this, they had good intentions. I'm sure they just wanted to make this night special for us."

 

"It'll certainly be memorable," Hayden scoffed.

 

"It'll be a great wedding story, don't you think?"

 

Hayden couldn't help but smile.

 

"Yeah, it will be."

 

*

 

In the end, they chose to ditch the dance and get dinner at Harry's instead.

 

The place looked so different at night than in the day. _Peaceful,_ Hayden dared to say. He rather enjoyed the bright lights and colorful, vintage decor when there weren't so many people around, taking up space and poisoning the air.

He enjoyed it when Mitchel was with him.

 

He and Mitchel settled into a booth and called the waiter over. Mitchel asked for their usual order - one strawberry milkshake and one vanilla - and they fell into a comfortable silence.

 

They were content just sitting there, drinking their milkshakes as the light flickered above them. So what if the night had been a complete disaster? They didn't need disco balls or crowns to have a good time or chocolate fountains. All they needed was each other.

 

That was until they heard the bell above the door chime and six sets of feet shuffle inside. Soon enough, Reese, David, Veronica, and all their friends were standing above them, guilt written all over their faces.

 

Dae was the first to speak.

 

"There's something we need to tell you guys." They hesitated. "Do you mind if we sit down?"

 

Hayden and Mitchel looked at each other for a moment, before nodding towards the booth.

 

"Fine," Hayden said.

 

They all gathered inside, careful to keep their distance from Hayden and Mitchel. Reese and Aaron grabbed chairs from another table nearby and slid them over to sit down.

 

There was a long moment of silence before Brooke cleared her throat.

 

"I'm just going to say now that you're not going to like what we're about to tell you, and if you get mad and never want to speak to us again, we understand."

 

"What we did was completely uncalled for, and we shouldn't have meddled with your lives," David added, folding his hands onto the table. "We're sorry, too. I don't know if we said that already, but we are."

 

"Why don't you tell us what you did and then we can decide if we're mad or not," Mitchel said, crossing his arms.

 

"Well," Veronica began, "You know that party we had? The bonfire?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Truth is, it was a setup. We planned the whole thing so that you and Hayden would finally spend some time together. That lie about the table in the cafe? A setup. The science project? There never was one."

 

Hayden raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to tell us?"

 

Dae cut in, "Everything that's happened this week, the party, Homecoming, the Spirit Week themes, we organized all of it to give you guys a chance to reconnect. But, looking back, we should've realized you'd do that all on your own."

 

"We just hated the way you guys looked, you know? You seemed so sad, so desperate for a reason to talk to each other that we couldn't just sit back and watch you guys suffer. It was hard for us to see you in pain," Aaron said, "You have so much love to give, Mitchel, it would be a sin to see it go to waste."

 

He turned to Hayden.

 

"And Hayden? I didn't know you all that well before this week, but now I see how amazing you are. You're so sweet and smart, an amazing actor, and you deserve all the love and happiness the world has to offer. It just seemed like a perfect match."

 

Reese said, "We're so sorry, and we know that doesn't make up for anything we've done, but we couldn't live with this secret anymore."

 

"So all of it was planned? Everything?" Hayden asked, "The date, the jacket, the Homecoming, even Luca-?!"

 

"God no!" Brooke cried, "We'd never put you in danger like that! Not on purpose. Most of that you did all on your own, except for the Homecoming thing." She looked at Veronica. "Something you want to confess, Ronnie?"

 

Veronica turned pink. "I may or may not have put your names on the ballot. In my defense, I didn't think anyone would vote for you. I didn't think anyone else knew you had feelings for each other. I guess I'm not as observant as I thought I was."

 

"We didn't know what we were doing was wrong at the time. We thought we were helping you, but we were wrong," Reese said.

 

Hayden suddenly jumped.

 

"Did the Great Reese James just... admit he was wrong?"

 

Reese sighed, "Yes, I did. No need to rub it in."

 

"No, no, it's not that," Hayden began, "In the eleven years we've been friends, I have never once heard you say you were wrong. Not once! Those words have not left your mouth since at least third grade!"

 

"So?"

 

"So I forgive you."

 

It was everyone else's turn to jump.

 

"What-?!"

 

"I'm still upset, of course, but I understand you were trying to help us. I can't speak for Mitchel, but as long as you realize what you did was wrong, then I can move on. You're my family. I love you guys with everything I have, and I don't want to live the rest of my life without you."

 

He looked at Mitchel.

 

"All of you."


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three years into the future, and Hayden knew exactly why Mitchel would want someone like him.

Mitchel Argento-Lovell sat in a little parlor in a hotel in Italy, his two-year-old daughter, Adeline, in his lap and his six-year-old son, Isador, stood at the front desk with his husband, Hayden Argento-Lovell, as he checked them in.

 

He and Hayden got married in this very hotel when they were just twenty-two. It felt like ages ago, but here they were, taking their small family on a vacation to celebrate their third wedding anniversary.

 

In a matter of a few years, Mitchel had everything he could ever wish for: two beautiful, healthy children, and a husband who he loved and loved him back. There had been a few bumps in the road - finding a surrogate for Isador had been hell - but it was worth it.

 

Hayden came back a few moments later, two room-keys in his hands.

 

Of course, Hayden's family offered to house them for the week, and it went without saying they would visit every day, but they wanted a place just for themselves and their kids. Hayden's family welcomed Mitchel the moment they met him, even though he could barely speak a word of Italian without stumbling. The Argento's knew how hard he was trying and how much he loved Hayden. He proposed in front of them, after all.

 

"Are Addie's ears feeling any better?" Hayden asked, taking his daughter off Mitchel's lap to kiss her cheek.

 

Mitchel sighed. "Nope, still hurting. Right, sweetie?"

 

Adeline nodded her head, reaching out to shove her tear-stained face into the crook of Hayden's neck. "Still hurts, papa."

 

Addie had Hayden's eyes, but her hair was as red at Mitchel's, and her attitude certainly matched his too. She had so much energy that Hayden couldn't keep up. Sometimes they were up playing with her for hours until she finally fell asleep.

 

Isador was more like Hayden in more ways than one. Though he had Mitchel's forest green eyes and a face full of freckles, his curly brown hair and pale skin mirrored his papa's. He was quiet like Hayden too. He was either taking a nap, throwing a tantrum, or watching T.V.

 

Parenthood took a lot of time and patience, but it was worth every minute. Their lives would be empty without their kids, and this was a step they were ready to take together.

 

They already took care of each other, what was two more?

 

"Okay, _vita mia,"_ Hayden said, stroking her cheek, "We'll get settled in the room, and then you can take a nap, yeah?"

 

She nuzzled deeper into Hayden's embrace in response.

 

"I'll take that as a yes." He turned to Mitchel. "Ready?"

 

Mitchel pressed a kiss to Hayden's cheek.

 

"With you, always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end, guys.
> 
> It's been quite the journey, and an absolute joy to write! This has been my life for the past year, and I love these characters so much, I almost don't want to part with them...
> 
> So I won't.
> 
> I still have so many ideas for Hayden, Mitchel, and all their lovely friends. I do have to move on to other stories, but keep an eye out because this might become a series! Who would like to see Mitchel meeting Hayden's crazy Italian family? Maybe a few shorts for the rest of the gang, too?
> 
> With that, I want to thank everyone who read and enjoyed my work. I write to not only please myself but to make other's smile. If I've done that, then all of my work has been worthwhile. I hope you have grown to love these characters as much as I do.
> 
> Ciao!


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